Bend And Not Break
by Allybally
Summary: Senior year has finally begun...
1. At The Beginning

_Senior year had finally begun. Cody Myers stared out her window with mixed feelings. They had been waiting for this their entire lives; it was the year everyone dreamed of. Adena had already declared in a mass email that it would be "freaking awesome". Squib was already planning parties. Nate was already planning rebellions against his father, scheduled to begin as soon as he returned from his mother's. Tanis had announced to her over the phone a week earlier that any freshman who messed with her was going to pay. Cameron claimed this was the year he was going to win it all._

_But what about falling? Weren't they worried about that?_

_What about their friendships? They were going their separate ways in one year. What if they drifted apart?_

_What about relationships? What about Cameron? Wasn't he worried about finally putting Adena and Tanis out of their puppy love misery? And what was she to do about Squib and Nate? Go back to the boy she had first loved? Or finally take a chance with the only person who seemed like he understood her?_

_What about school? Classes? Tests? Papers? Their marks for this year would play a large part in determining their colleges. Their futures._

_And what _about _their futures? Did they know where they were going? They couldn't possibly all become tennis stars. She worried everyday about her future career. What if she just couldn't make the cut in the journalism world? What then?_

_She heard the familiar voice of her father calling her from down the hall. She was going to be late. She grabbed her bag and her camera, temporarily pushing thoughts of the future out of her mind, and made her way to the door._

_Senior year had finally begun._

"Cody!" Adena called as she raced down the hall, "Cody!"

The redhead whipped around, coming face to face with her friend, "Hi!" She smiled warmly, "How was your summer?"

"Boring," she huffed as the two girls hugged. "There is absolutely nothing to do back home. All I did was practice all day. I might as well have been in school!"

"Trust me," Cody smiled, "it wasn't anymore interesting here."

"In thought you were going back to Montreal?" Adena asked, slipping her arm through Cody's and heading down the hall.

"I did, but only for a week."

"Well, _that_ must have at least been interesting!"

"Not really," Cody admitted, laughing. "Caught up with my mom, saw a few old friends, that's about it."

"Well," Adena said as they approached their class, "let's just hope this year is more interesting!"

"Yeah," Cody chuckled along with her friend. The two were barely through the door when Adena began to squeal.

"_Tanis_!"

"Hey guys!" Tanis rose from her desk and embraced her two friends, "How were your summers?"

"Boring," the two girls said in unison.

"How was yours?" Adena asked.

"Far from boring," Tanis smiled as the three girls took their seats.

"I smell gossip," Cody smirked.

"Spill. Now," Adena commanded.

"Well, I mean, there really wasn't much to do, but there was this guy-,"

"A _guy_!" Adena squealed once again.

"Yes, a guy."

"What kind of guy?"

"A _cute_ guy. A _very_ cute guy," Tanis informed them, smiling. "His name is Kelly-,"

"Kelly?" Cody giggled, "This guys name is Kelly?"

"This coming from a girl named Cody?"

"…Point taken. Continue."

"Anyways, he's so sweet," Tanis carried on, "and _totally_ built. I mean, we're talking _hot_. And he has the most gorgeous brown eyes! They're all deep and-,"

"Hello, ladies!" Rick said, sidling up to the group.

"Hey," Tanis sighed.

"Hi, Rick," Cody smiled at him. "How was your-,"

"Summer? It was great! Just great! Man, this is my year! I can feel it! I-,"

"Rick, don't you have somewhere else to be?" A voice asked from behind him. The girls glanced over his shoulder to see Squib and Cameron.

"Uh, yes, actually, I, uh-,"

"Bye, Rick," Squib spoke again, gently pushing him away.

"You don't have to be so mean," Cody chastised him.

"It's just Rick," Cameron laughed as the two boys sat down, "he'll live."

"So," Squib turned to Cody, "where's your _friend_."

Cody rolled her eyes, "Nate's not here yet. He doesn't arrive until tomorrow."

"A whole day without Nate Bates? I'm crushed."

"Calm down, you two," Cameron scolded playfully.

"So, Cam, how was your summer?"

"Doesn't anyone care about _my_ summer?" Squib demanded.

"Not really," Tanis informed him.

"The usual," Cameron shrugged, "family dinners, lame camping trips, squeezing in practices."

"Tanis was just telling us about her new guy…" Adena trailed off, gauging Cameron's reaction.

"New guy?" His face remained neutral.

"Mm hm," Tanis nodded.

"Oh, cool…" All eyes were now on Cameron, but before any more could be said, Ms. Wiley entered the room.

"Okay, everyone," the poor woman already sounded exhausted and the year had yet to officially begin, "calm down! You can all discuss your vacations after class. Right now, I'd like to start off with some Dickens. If you'll all come up front and grab your novel…" The tennis players of the class gave a collective groan as they gathered, single file, in front of their teacher's desk.


	2. Gumboots

"I'm coming!" Cody called, racing down the stairs. Who was at her door this early? If it was Squib…she sighed. The second day and he had already managed to annoy her?

"Squi-," She flung open the door, but froze mid-scold when she saw who was on the other side. "Nate!" She cried, considerably brighter.

"Hey," he offered her a small smile. "This a bad time? You seem kind of…"

"No, no, it's fine," she assured him. She stepped forward slightly, hesitated, and then embraced him in a short and awkward hug.

"How was your mom's?" He inquired after they'd separated.

"Oh, pretty boring," she chuckled nervously. "Yours?"

"The same, really. I did find a box of her old stuff in the attic, though. A lot of old vinyl; I'll have to show you."

"Yeah," Cody smiled. "Hey," she said, remembering, "I thought you weren't getting back until this afternoon?"

"Hopped on an earlier flight; it left late last night. I figured I could walk you to class?"

"Uh, yeah, sure, just let me grab my stuff," Nate nodded as Cody quickly darted around the living room, gathering her books. "Okay," she smiled.

"Okay," the pair headed out the door.

* * *

"So," Squib said, walking down the hall with Cameron.

"So," Cameron repeated.

"So…"

"Squib, if you have something to say, just say it!"

"I just wanted to know how you felt about Tanis'…new guy," Squib said carefully.

"What about him?" The pair rounded a corner.

"Well, I dunno, I mean, last I checked, you two were sorta…"

"Sort of what, Squib?"

"Gee, sorry, never mind," Squib rolled his eyes.

"Hey, Cam!" Adena called when the boys entered the room. "Have you seen Tanis?"

"No," Cameron shrugged, taking his seat.

"Shouldn't we be asking you that? I mean, she is your roommate…" Squib sat down beside Cameron.

"She said she'd catch up this morning; she was running late. But class is about to start! Where is she?"

"Where's who?" Nate asked as he entered the class with Cody. The two took their seats across from Squib and Cameron.

"Oh, hey, Nate," Cameron greeted the other boy, "how was your summer?"

"Okay," Nate shrugged, a laid-back grin on his face.

"Hey, Nate," Squib practically grumbled.

"Hey, _Squibey_," Nate smirked.

"Wait, so, who are we talking about?" Cody quickly spoke up.

"Tanis," Adena explained, "I don't know what's keeping her."

"Everyone," Ms. Wiley walked into the room, "take out your novels, please," as she passed, she placed one on Nate's desk, "and open to chapter 3." She placed her armful of papers on her desk, and promptly began roll call.

"She's gonna be late!" Adena whispered back to Cameron, as Ms. Wiley reached the O's.

"Tanis…" Ms. Wiley looked up from her sheet, "Tanis?"

"Here!" The class turned around to see a frazzled Tanis McTaggart speeding through the door.

"You're late," Ms. Wiley sighed.

"I know! I'm sorry! There was this phone call from home and-,"

"Whatever," the teacher shook her head impatiently, "I'm sure your excuse is fabulous and you spent many hours working on it last night. Please sit down."

"Where were you?" Cody whispered as the attendance continued.

"Kelly called," Tanis smiled, "I got kind of distracted."

"You are giving me _all_ the details," Adena giggled.

"Kelly?" Nate raised an eyebrow.

"I'll explain later," Cody promised.

"Okay," Ms. Wiley called above the noise, "now, when we left off…Hello! Everyone! Pay attention! When we left- Ms. Stiles! Quiet! Now- SQUIB! Put DOWN the paper airplane!"

* * *

"So, it's a guy…named Kelly?" Nate clarified.

"That's what _I_ said!" Cody laughed.

"Well, your name is Cody," he pointed out.

"You know, I wish everyone would stop throwing that in my face…"

"Cody!" The two turned around to see Squib running toward them.

"Hey, Squib," she greeted. Nate repeated her words, substantially less enthusiastic.

"Hey, we're playing cards in the Open tonight; you in?"

"Sure," Cody smiled.

"Don't you guys ever do anything else?" Nate asked.

"_No_," Squib snarled, "Why?"

"Because, playing cards all the time is _boring_," Nate responded, as if it were obvious.

"Well, it's a good thing you weren't invited, then."

"Since when do we _invite_ people to cards?" Cody asked, struggling to cut the tension.

"Since _now_."

"Aw, an evening of boring games with a roomful of egotistical jocks? Sorry I'll miss _that_," Nate snapped.

"Don't you have somewhere to be? Bad music to listen to? A father to yell at you?" Squib barked.

"Squib!" Cody cried.

"Don't _you_ have somewhere to be?" Nate asked. "A crappy swing to work on? A father to _ignore_ you?"

"Nate!"

"You know what? I'm late for practice," Squib said coldly, "see you later, Cody," he took off down the hall."

"Nate," she sighed, turning toward him, "you and Squib have got to-,"

"He's right," Nate glanced at his watch, "I've got to meet my dad. Only the second day and already the fun is beginning. See you."

"Wait, but…" He was already gone. Cody sighed, _you've got that right_, she thought to herself, _only the second day and already the fun is beginning…_


	3. Why Can't We Be Friends?

_To Nova-Janna, because I know I can always count on at least one review. And I'm taking this as a sign you're all settled with internet, so come back to the forum! Oh, and because it was Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy that got me hooked on the sexy!smirk._

_And to Smyth11, because telling me that my work is 'well written' is probably the biggest compliment anyone can give me, in a world of sub-par fics (and I'm not talking about our show, I'm talking everything)._

* * *

"So, Tans…"

"Yeah?" Tanis glanced up from her magazine.

"You and Kelly…you're doing good?" Adena inquired.

"We've only been separated, like, three days," Tanis laughed, "but yeah."

"So, you and Cameron, then…you're done?"

"Well…" Tanis began to sputter, "We were never really…I mean…I don't know…I-,"

"DoyoustilllikeCameron?" Adena blurted out.

Tanis paused, "I…guess not…"

"Gee, Tanis, you sound real sure there," Adena rolled her eyes, sighing.

"Well, I just mean…"

"…Yes?"

"…No. I don't."

"You sure?"

Tanis nodded, "Positive."

"Okay then. Good," Adena focused her gaze on her bedspread.

"Good…" Tanis stared at her friend suspiciously. "Hey, Adena, do _you_ still like Cameron?"

"Me," Adena laughed, tossing her hair, "are you kidding? He's totally grade eleven. I'm into blonds now."

"Maybe you should give Squib a call," Tanis giggled.

"Ew, Tanis, just…ew."

* * *

"Squib?" Cody knocked on his door, "You in there?"

"Come in," she heard his muffled yet unmistakable voice call.

"Hey," she poked her head inside before stepping into his bedroom.

"What's up?" He asked, sitting on his bed and motioning for her to do the same.

"I need to talk to you…"

"I assumed as much."

"Yeah, but, about…Nate," Cody glanced at him hesitantly.

"Cody," he sighed.

"No, Squib, listen! Look, you two are always at each other's throats! And I just wish you guys would stop-,"

"Why?" He asked, cutting her off. "So you two can finally get together in peace?"

"Squib," Cody sighed exasperatedly, "look, I've told you a million times, Nate and I are-,"

"Don't say 'just friends'," he broke in again, "because we both know that's not true."

Cody paused, "Look…maybe we're not just friends. But I don't know what me and Nate are! And I don't know what me and _you_ are!" Squib looked up, startled at the blunt honesty so uncharacteristic of their relationship. "I just…care about you both, okay? A lot. And I can't stand it when the two of you clash. I'm always in the middle and it's just…" she paused, taking a deep breath, "Please?"

Squib looked at the ground, waiting for a moment before speaking, "Well, I mean, he has to stop, too!"

Cody rolled her eyes, but let a small smile cross her face, "I'm going to talk to Nate as well."

"Then," he exhaled loudly, looking over to her, "I mean, yeah. Sure. For you, Cody," he threw her a grin.

* * *

"Tanis?" Cameron slowly opened the door. "You in here?" He was met with the sound of giggling and, upon further investigation, found Tanis lying on her bed, laughing into the phone. She held up her finger, telling him to wait a moment.

"Yeah, I gotta go…Mmkay," she laughed again, "…Alright," louder this time, "Okay, bye."

"Who was that?" Cameron asked, already knowing the answer.

"Kelly," Tanis responded, looking down at the ground as she returned the phone to its cradle.

"Huh…so…"

"Something you wanted, Cam?"

"Uh, no, no, I just-,"

"Hi, guys!" Adena skipped into the room happily.

"What's with you?" Tanis asked her, thankful for something to end the tension.

"I just had a _killer_ match," Adena smiled widely, "I totally dominated!"

"Alright!" Cameron said encouragingly, beaming at her.

"So," Adena flung herself down on her bed, "what's up?"

"I was actually just leaving," Cameron explained, "I'll see you two later," he nodded to the girls and was out the door.

"What were you two talking about?" Adena asked casually, sitting up and letting down her ponytail.

Tanis moved to sit in front of her vanity, "Nothing, really…he just kind of…popped in."

"Oh," Adena kept her gaze on Tanis.

"Yeah…" Tanis looked to Adena, then quickly turned to face the floor before returning to her mirror.

* * *

"Hey, Nate!" Squib called down the hall. After seriously considering simply ignoring him, Nate grudgingly turned around.

"Yes, Squib?"

"Did Cody talk to you?"

"Yes, Squib."

"And…?"

"And what, Squib?"

The blond boy sighed, "And, are you going to be nice to me?" He asked haughtily.

Nate burst out laughing, "You're kidding right?" He took Squib's silence as a sign to continue, "Look, I'll be _civil_ to you, Furlong, when we're forced to hang out together. For Cody's sake. But you better return the favor."

Squib nodded, "Okay. Deal."

"Deal," Nate repeated, "Now, if you don't mind, I have a book I'm working on. You know, those things with words? On pages? You've probably never seen one…"

Squib's face darkened, "Listen, _Bates_-,"

"Hey guys!" Cody came walking around the corner. "What's up?" She glanced nervously between the two boys.

"Not much," Squib said through clenched teeth.

"Yeah," Nate looked equally angry, "just…talking."

"Okay," Cody said slowly, taking in their disgruntled appearances.

"I've got practice," Squib forced out, "I'll see you later, Cody," he paused and then, with what seemed like great effort, added, "Bye, Nate."

"Bye," Nate choked out. After Squib was down the hall, Cody turned to the remaining boy.

"Are you okay? That vein in your neck is doing that weird throbbing thing…"

"Just fine."


	4. Black Betty

"Damn it!" Squib threw his racquet across the empty locker room.

"Everything okay in here?" Cameron asked, entering slowly. Squib simply glared at the other boy, and then proceeded to gather his equipment. "What's your problem?"

"What's my problem?" Squib spat, "Did you not see me out there? I was _destroyed_!"

"I thought it was 'just a game'?" Cameron said, keeping his distance incase Squib blew up again.

"It's senior year," Squib was closing up his gym bag, "if my rankings slip, I'm finished. If I want to get _anywhere_ I have to do _good_," with that, he shot one last glare at Cameron and stalked out of the room.

* * *

"Hey, Squib," Cody chirped, walking into his room.

"_What_?" He snarled, not looking up from his homework.

"Geez, what's wrong with you?"

"I had a bad match, okay?" Squib sighed.

"Well, we're watching a movie tonight, so I thought…"

"I'm busy."

"Squib," she sighed, taking a seat on his bed, "come on. So you had a bad match, so what?"

"Look, Cody, I know you're not a player, but this is-,"

"Senior year. And if you expect to succeed in the tennis world, you've got to get out with stellar rankings," she finished. At Squib's confused look, she explained, "I heard Gunns lecturing Adena earlier. Apparently he's passing the same speech through the entire student body." Encouraged by Squib's small smile, she continued, "It's only one match, right? You've got all year to make it up. Come to the movie. It'll make you feel better," she promised, flashing him a smile.

He sighed, a grin forming on his lips, "Okay, sure."

"Good," she rose, "seven o'clock, in the Open."

"Hey, Cody," he called just before she was out the door.

"Mmm hmm?"

"Thanks."

She smiled once again and was out the door.

* * *

"Hey, Cam," Cameron turned around to see Adena walking behind him.

"Hey," he smiled, "what's up?"

"Not much," she fell into stride with him, "So, you have a match today?"

"No, not until tomorrow afternoon," he told her. "You?"

"Yeah, but just some group D kid. I'm not worried."

"You never are," Cameron laughed.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Nothing! It's a compliment," he quickly assured her, "You're confident. That's a good thing. I like that."

"Aw," she smiled, slapping his arm playfully, "Cam!"

Cameron chuckled, "So you coming to movie night?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Adena beamed. They reached a corner, and she started to turn toward the girls dorms. "See ya, Cam!"

"Bye, Adena."

* * *

As Cody sat on the couch between Nate and Squib, periodically glancing over to the other couch where Cameron was sitting in between Adena and Tanis, she paused to consider that maybe these weren't the best seating arrangements.

Things actually weren't too bad over on Couch Cameron. One of the girls would start slowly moving closer, the other would eventually catch on and glare, and girl #1 would sheepishly return to her place. Lather, rinse, repeat. Cameron, meanwhile, was completely oblivious to this little drama playing out on either side of him. Either that, or her was a _very_ good actor. Whichever it was, Cody was actually starting to find the whole scene rather amusing.

Her ship, however, was quickly sinking. She could tell something was wrong by the way tension seemed to radiate off the boys to her left and right. That, and they both had an unnaturally tight grip on their respective armrests. She was pretty sure marks would be left. She, being as charmingly naïve as she was, had actually thought the night would go okay. Squib had calmed down considerably since their chat, Nate's father was out at meetings, putting him in a great mood, and they had both agreed to stop fighting. All that changed, of course, before the movie had even begun. Apparently it just wasn't in the male genetic makeup to put aside a grudge for two hours and watch a movie with friends. And she kept hearing weird noises; she was pretty sure one or both of them had started grinding their teeth. It was getting annoying. Plus, Nate's neck vein was doing the throbbing thing again. Cody thought he should probably get that checked…

"Hey, can someone pass the popcorn?" Cameron asked, his eyes not leaving the screen. Adena and Tanis both dove for the bowl resting on the coffee table in front of them. The result was two very loud shrieks, a pile of tangled limbs, and an overturned bowl of popcorn.

"I'll get more," Adena offered quickly, struggling to right herself, "Give me a hand, Cam?"

"No!" Tanis shouted, rising shakily to her feet, "I'll get it! Come on, Cameron!"

"No, I will!"

"Me!"

"Me!"

"No, me!"

"_Me_!"

At the sight of poor Cameron looking small and afraid on the couch, glancing between the two, Cody decided to put him out of his misery.

"_I'll_ get more," she stood up, "Adena, come with me." While Adena looked horrified at the thought of leaving Tanis alone with Cameron, Cody was fairly sure they wouldn't return to the sight of the two having passionate sex in the Open, so she grabbed Adena's arm before she could object, dragging her along. Right before they reached the door, though, Cody had an urgent thought and turned to Cameron.

'_Watch them,' _she mouthed, gesturing between Squib and Nate (she was fairly certain the grinding had gotten louder). He smiled, nodding.

* * *

"Switch places with me," Cody said as soon as the two girls entered the kitchen.

"What?" Adena asked, confused, putting a bag of popcorn in the microwave.

"In the Open! Switch places with me!"

"Are you kidding?" Adena look appalled, "And leave _her_ alone with _him_?"

"Okay, first of all," Cody began, "I thought you didn't like Cameron anymore."

"Well, I, uh-,"

"And second," she interrupted Adena's embarrassed stuttering, "they won't be alone. I'll be there."

"But, I can't just, it's, I, no-,"

Cody rolled her eyes and sighed, "Look, I promise to make sure Tanis doesn't maul Cameron in the middle of movie night. Happy? Now switch!"

"But _why_?"

"I can't take it anymore, Adena! I just can't!" Cody grabbed her friend by the collar, pulling her closer, "You have no idea! I thought things would be better! But NO! Teeth grinding, and glaring, and the poor couch, and the neck vein, and-,"

"Whoa!" Adena gently released herself from Cody's grasp. "Calm down, Cody! Breathe!"

"Sorry," Cody smiled sheepishly, breathing deeply, "It's just so…."

"Okay," Adena laughed at her friend, who was clearly at a loss for words, "I'll switch with you. _But_- You have to promise to watch Tanis like a hawk! If she gets too close to him, I dunno, hit her on the nose with a newspaper or something."

Cody laughed, "Thanks, Adena," she poured the finished popcorn into a bowl. As the two made their way back to the Open, she spoke again, "But, seriously, why _do_ you care so much about Tanis and Cameron? I thought you were over him. Not to mention, Tanis already _has_ a boyfriend."

"I _am_ over him," Adena insisted. At Cody's raised eyebrow, she confessed, "At least, I thought I was…"

"But Tanis has a boyfriend!" Cody reminded her.

"Puh_-lease_," Adena huffed, "have you seen the way she's been hanging off him? That obviously doesn't matter to her. But that's fine."

Cody looked at her, puzzled, "But you just said…How is that fine?"

"Because _nobody_ messes with Adena Stiles."

_Nova-Janna: I was actually thinking of the Smash Mouth song. The only lines I know are, _

'_Why can't we be friends?  
__Why can't we be friends?  
__Why can't we be friends?  
__Why can't we be friends?'_

…_it seemed appropriate. But I've been looking for the American Hi-Fi (love them) song all day, so hopefully it'll come up._

_Alright, so, a million cookies to anyone who can figure out how Black Betty applies to this chapter. Because I sure can't. I've just been listening to it all day, 'cause it's freaking amazing._

_Wait for it..._

_**WHOA, BLACK BETTY! (BAM-BA-LAM) **_


	5. Flavor of the Weak

Squib sighed, listening to the sound of the tennis ball as he tossed it against the wall.

Thump, thump, thump.

Bored. Completely and utterly bored, that's what he was. And depressed, too. He had gotten a D on his English paper (Wiley was out to get him, he was certain), and played yet another bad match. It was against Sunny, so everyone had pretty much expected it, but it was bad none the less.

Thump, thump, thump.

Not to mention, he had this tingling sort of feeling in the back of his neck that could only mean two things:

1)Bates was near by  
Or  
2) Cody was alone with Nate somewhere

And Bates was at a meeting, so….

On the other side of the school, two figures sat across from each other in a stuffy, currently document-covered office.

"Thanks again for the help, Cody," Nate said, flipping through the papers in his hand.

"Well, I couldn't let you file staff medical records alone, now could I?" She smiled.

Nate placed his papers on the ground and looked straight at the girl in front of him. Sighing lightly, he spoke, "Okay, so, if I ask you something, you can't get all sensitive and defensive, alright?"

"I guess…" Cody spoke slowly, casting him a suspicious glance.

"You and Squib."

Cody immediately flustered, "What about us?"

"Are you two…back together?"

"Well, no. I thought that was obvious."

"Well, I know, not officially," Nate explained, "but have you progressed into that stage where it's only a matter of time?"

Cody shrugged, "Not that I'm aware of…"

"Do you want to?"

"Want to what?" She decided she was going to make this difficult.

"Do you want to get back together with Squib?" There were times she wished he wasn't quite so forward with her.

"I…I don't know, Nate. I mean, we broke up for a reason, right? So, then, no. But, sometimes I think, if he changed just that little bit, or maybe if I…" she sighed, realizing she was making absolutely no sense. "It's…"

"Complicated," he finished for her. Nate nodded, half shrugging, "Fair enough."

"Nate?" She asked after a moment of silence.

"Mmm hmm?" He looked up again, giving her his full attention.

"…Never mind," she shrugged, smiling sweetly. He nodded once again, and tossed her a grin before returning to his papers. It was nice, she decided. Having someone who just sort of…understood.

* * *

"I…just…can't…believe this!" Tanis sobbed.

"I know," Adena comforted her friend, "he's a jerk! Forget about him!"

"I _can't_!"

"Hey girls, I- WHOA!" Cameron entered the room, completely thrown off by the sight of a crying Tanis. "Is she…okay?"

"No!" Adena stated the obvious.

"What…happened…" Cameron's expression had decreased somewhat from horrified to just slightly afraid.

"She was dumped," Adena whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" Cameron asked. "I don't think we have to keep it from her. It looks like she's heard."

"Shut up!" Adena tossed a pillow at his head.

"Hello!" Tanis choked out.

"Oh!" Adena turned to face her, "Sorry, Tans! I'm gonna go find some ice cream or something! Cameron, stay with her!" Adena, apparently forgetting about her recent paranoia in the wake of such a crisis, took off down the hall.

"Um…there, there? It's…okay? You go, girl?" Cameron tried, awkwardly rubbing Tanis' back.

Instead of bursting into wails, as he had feared, she actually managed a small laugh, her hysterics beginning to subside, "Nice, Cam. Nice."

"So, seriously, you okay?"

"It's just…I thought he really liked me! He was so sweet this summer! And we were so good together! But then this girl answered his cell phone! And he was saying…not exactly platonic things to her in the background! I can't believe it! Say something!" She shouted at him.

"I'm sorry, it's just…hearing you be all girly is kind of freaking me out…." Cam confessed. Tanis rolled her eyes, smacking him upside the head. "There we go," he laughed, "that's the Tanis McTaggart we all know. She doesn't get weepy, she gets violent."

Tanis chuckled, "Yeah, well…sorry for getting all… 'girly' on you."

"Look, Tans, us boys? We're jerks. All of us. Pretty much all of the time. So, on behalf of the male population, I apologize."

Tanis managed a full smile this time, and opened her mouth to speak when the door was flung open and Adena rushed in.

"Okay, so, I managed to swipe rocky road ice cream from Bates' personal stash, and we still have _The Notebook_ out, and-,"

"Adena," Tanis interrupted her frantic rambling, chuckling, "What are you doing? I've got a match tomorrow! I've got to practice!"

"But…I…wha…"

"Come on," Tanis smiled, hopping off her bed and grabbing her racquet, "come hit with me!"

"I…Okay…" As Tanis walked out of the room, Adena turned to Cameron, beaming, "What did you _do_ to her?"

"I don't know!" Cameron answered, obviously amazed.

"Well, whatever it was, you rock, Cam!" Adena exclaimed, bounding out of the dorm after her friend.

* * *

"So, look," Nate began as he sat himself down next to Cody. He leaned back casually against the bleachers and waited for the cheering to die down from Squib's latest point before continuing, "I hope that…what I said yesterday…it doesn't make things weird. Because I _really_ don't want things to be weird."

Cody smiled, glancing down at her feet bashfully, "They're not. Weird, that is. It's fine."

"Are you sure? Because I never meant to…"

"Nate," she laughed, "it's _fine_. You did nothing wrong."

"Okay," he nodded, "good. Because, you know, sometimes girls _say_ they're fine, when they're really not fine, and then we're supposed to know when they're actually fine or faking fine, and…well, it gets messy. But good."

She chuckled, "Good."

"Game, set, match, Tom Gosling!" The commentator announced.

Nate watched Cody's face fall, "I don't get it! He was doing so well!" She sighed, already getting up, "I should go talk to him."

"Uh, yeah," Nate cleared his throat, "you should go…make sure he's alright." Cody nodded once and sent him a small, slightly apologetic grin before heading over to where Squib was seated.

"You okay?" She asked softly.

"Great," he spat back through clenched teeth.

"Look, there's no need to get mad at me! I'm just trying to help," she told him.

"Well, thanks, but wouldn't you rather be with _Nate_?"

"What does this have to do with him?"

"I saw you two canoodling in the bleachers," Squib said angrily.

"_Canoodling_? We were _talking_, Squib! Friends talk!"

"Whatever, okay? I don't need to hear about what the two of you do…"

"Look, Squib, you broke up with me! Or have you forgotten? I was happy with you, I was fine! I didn't _want_ to break up! _You_ dumped _me_! So you're not allowed to get angry when I show an interest in someone else!"

"So you admit it! You're interested in him!" Squib said in an accusatory tone.

"God, Squib! I don't know, okay? I don't know how I feel! It's-,"

"Complicated," he finished, "So I've heard! Why can't you just make up your mind, Cody? Pick a side? I don't get it…"

Cody sighed, "You never did."

_Oh, I can just see all the C/S fans glaring at me now…Well, hopefully my writing is decent enough that you'll all stick around to see how it plays out._

_Nova-Janna: Lol, on putting Nate before Squib- Glad to see my 'evil' ship (gee, thanks for the name, C/S fans!) has corrupted yet another!_

_Has anyone ever heard this song? God, I love it._

_**Her boyfriend! He don't know! Anything! About her!**_

_**She makes me weak….**_

_Hmm, I think I missed a few verses…_

_Review!_


	6. C'est La Vie

"Cody," Nate sighed, "if it's bugging you so much, just go talk to Squib." The two were sitting, as per usual, in Bates' office, this time going through a box of books Bates had discovered in storage.

"No," Cody said as she pulled another dusty tome, "No way. Keep this one, it's not in our library," she handed him a ragged paperback.

"_Macbeth_? Our library doesn't have _Macbeth_?"

"We go to a tennis academy."

Nate nodded, placing the book aside, "True. Now, where were we…?"

"I'm not talking to Squib."

"Look, this is probably the closest I'm ever going to come to defending Squib, and, believe me, it's gonna hurt me more than you. And, I would like it noted that I'm not doing this because I feel any sort of sympathy towards the guy, but because I don't like to see you mope around," Nate began.

"Noted," Cody rolled her eyes.

"Good," he spoke again. Nate took a deep breath and, with a rather pained expression, continued, "Whatever Squib said to you, he probably didn't mean it. I mean, he's been losing matches or whatever, and the guy's kind of a walking mood swing as it is, without all the extra pressure. By now he's probably realized he was a jerk. I mean, did he even tell you why he was mad at you?"

"No," Cody said quickly, suddenly fascinated with the Nancy Drew mystery before her. Nate snatched it out of her hands, promptly discarding it in the 'ditch' pile.

"Cody," he prodded, "don't bother lying to me. I can read you like a book," he grabbed a copy of _The Borrowers_, holding it up for emphasis.

"He said he was mad because he saw us…canoodling," Cody looked down, embarrassedly. Nate was quiet for a moment before speaking, a pensive look on his face.

"…He said _canoodling_?"

"_So_ not the point here!"

"I'm sorry, it's just…_canoodling?_ Who says that? Who?"

"Nate!"

"Fine, fine, so, he saw us-,"

"Don't even!"

"…_Talking_," Nate continued, "The guy's obviously jealous, because he's madly in love with you, as I've pointed out numerous times. And, as much as I loathe the thought of sending you running into his arms…" Nate sighed dramatically.

Giggling and rolling her eyes, Cody urged him on, "Yes?"

He sighed, finally wearing a serious, almost disappointed expression, "We both know he's not going to come to you."

* * *

"Are you _sure_ you're okay?"

"Adena," Tanis sighed, frustrated, "we've been going over this for three days! I. Am. Fine."

"Okay! It's just, I mean, you got…dumped," Adena winced at the word.

"Yeah, and it sucked. But now I'm good."

"Okay," Adena sighed resignedly, "If you're sure…"

"I am."

"Well, what made you perk up so fast? Did Cameron say something?"

Tanis shrugged, focusing on her plate, "No, not particularly…" she cast what she thought was a subtle glance over to the tall boy two tables away. Apparently not subtle enough.

"Oh my God!" Adena whispered harshly, "You like Cameron! You said you didn't! You _lied_!"

"Shut up!" Tanis whispered back, "I do _not_ like Cameron! And you said you didn't either! So what would it matter if I did? Which I don't!"

"Nothing!" Adena said quickly. "I don't! I just don't appreciate being lied to!"

"Well, I don't like Cameron, so I didn't lie."

"Well, _I_ don't like Cameron, so _I_ didn't lie."

"Good."

"Great."

"Fine."

"Perfect."

"I have practice."

"I have homework."

"See you later."

"Have fun."

* * *

"Squib?" Cody approached him hesitantly. She had finally found him at the backcourt, characteristically practicing against the wall.

"Yeah?" He didn't look away. From his labored breathing, she guessed he had been out for a while.

"Can we…talk?"

"Sure," he breathed. After a few more swings, he moved to where she was sitting on the bleachers and returned his racquet to his bag, not looking at her.

"Look, about…what happened. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that…"

After a moment of silence, Squib sighed and spoke, "No, I mean, you were right. I was being a jerk."

"I don't want to fight about this anymore, Squib," Cody moved to sit next to him.

"I know…it's just…"

"You need to learn that just because I care about Nate, doesn't mean I've suddenly stopped caring about you. That's never going to happen."

Squib nodded and tossed her a little smile. After a moment, Cody continued.

"…This is where you say 'I'll always care about you, too, Cody!'"

Squib laughed, "Sorry. I'll always care about you, too, Cody. And, I'm sorry about all this…drama," he chuckled.

She nodded and smiled, "It happens."

"Okay," he grinned, wider this time, and pulled her in for an awkward sort of half hug.

"Good," she smiled after they had separated. "I'm going to go in for lunch. Coming?"

He nodded, "Just let me grab my stuff." He quickly packed up, and the two headed inside together.

* * *

"…And then she's all 'Oh, I _so_ don't like Cameron!' But she _so_ does! What a little liar! I mean, she lied right to my face! Why can't she just admit it? It's sad, really. It's not like she's even got a chance- she's _so_ not his type! Can't she see that? He would never go for a girl like her!" Tanis took a deep breath and turned to the person sitting on the floor in front of her. "So, what do you think?"

"…Why are you talking to me?" Nate finally asked.

Tanis sighed, "Well, I obviously can't talk to Adena or Cameron about this, and there's no _way_ I'd talk to Squib about it. And when I couldn't find Cody, I came in here to look for her. Where she obviously isn't. But you'll do. So," she repeated, "What do you think?"

"I think," Nate sighed, pulling himself up off the office floor, "that this school has far too much boy drama."

"Come on! Seriously! I need an outsider's opinion on this!"

"Seriously?" Tanis nodded, so he continued, "It's obvious you like Cameron. And you're jealous because Adena likes Cameron."

"…What? Have you not been listening? I _don't_ like Cameron, but she _does_! And I'm _not_ jealous!"

"If you're not jealous, then why are you standing in Bates' office, talking to someone you barely know?"

"…Okay, so, let's just say I _did_ like Cameron, hypothetically, of course, what should I do?"

Nate sighed, "I don't know…Why don't you go find one of your girlfriends?"

"Come _on_!" Tanis sighed angrily.

"Okay, okay! Fine, uh…okay, chick advice…"

"Well, you and Cody talk all the time," Tanis pointed out, trying to be helpful, "What would you tell her?"

"Cody's never come to me complaining that she hypothetically likes a boy her best friend actually likes and isn't jealous," Nate told her.

"Well, fine then. What would she say? You spend a lot of time with her; channel your inner Cody."

"My inner Cody…okay…" Nate sighed to himself. "Uh…tell him how you feel? Be honest? Yeah, that sounds like Cody."

"You're right! I need to talk to him! Thanks…"

He sighed, "Nate."

"Nate! Right! I knew that! Thanks!" Tanis ran out of the room.

* * *

"So, what do you think?" Adena asked.

"Uh, Adena?" Cody said, "Why are we in a closet?"

"Because I don't want Tanis to find us! Besides, haven't you ever dreamed about being in a closet with a boy?"

"…Okay, one, you're a _girl_, and two, no."

"Not even _Nate_?"

"I thought we were talking about your problems," Cody quickly pointed out.

"You're right! We are! So, tell me what you think!"

"You like Cameron."

"… Cody! _No_!"

"Adena, it's obvious," Cody sighed, "_and_ you're totally jealous of Tanis! Just admit it!"

"Whatever," Adena flipped her hair, "let's just say I _was_ jealous, because I _did_ like him. What should I do?"

"Tell him," Cody said immediately.

Adena sighed angrily, "I _knew_ you were going to say that!"

"Then why did you ask me?"

"Because, you're all, like, wise, and stuff…"

"Huh. Whatever. Look, you have to be honest with him. Soon."

"Fine, fine, I'll tell him just as soon as we get out of here," Adena moved to open the door, "Uh oh…"

"_What_?"

"Okay, Cody, you need to stay calm…and not, like, violent…"

"_Adena_!"

* * *

"Thanks for letting us out, Nate," Cody smiled at him as the two ate dinner together later that night.

"No problem," he chuckled, "what were you two doing in there, exactly?"

Cody rolled her eyes, "Discussing her boy drama."

"Hey, that reminds me," Nate said, "Can you ask your friends not to come to me for love advice anymore? It's unsettling."

Cody burst out laughing, "Who asked you for advice?"

"Tanis. She was all worked up about Cameron. Told me to channel my inner Cody."

"Oh? And what did you tell her?"

"To go talk to him. Be honest, and all that junk."

Cody laughed, "Well, you're inner Cody is very in tune. That's what I told Adena."

Nate laughed, before suddenly coming to a realization, "Wait, Cody, if _I_ told _Tanis_ to go talk to Cameron, and _you_ told _Adena_ to go talk to Cameron, then…"

"Uh oh…"

* * *

"Hey, Cameron, I was wondering if we could-," Adena froze as she opened the door. Both Cameron, who was standing up, and Tanis, who was sitting on the bed before him, whipped their heads around to look at him.

"Adena? What are _you_ doing here?" Tanis asked.

"Tanis? What are _you_ doing here?"

_PrincessOats42- Lol, thank you! I like that logic! Cookies for you!_

_Nova-Janna- Added Nat's canoodling line just for you!_

_You know one thing that makes all shippers happy? Reviews!_


	7. We Used To Be Friends

"Adena? What are _you_ doing here?"

"Tanis? What are _you_ doing here?"

"Uh…" Cameron looked between the two girls, "Is there something you two wanna tell me?"

"I came in here to _talk_ to Cameron," Tanis told Adena, ignoring the confused boy in front of her.

"So did _I_."

"Hello? Girls?"

"Well, I was here first. Too bad. Maybe you should _leave_."

"Maybe _you_ should leave."

"Tanis! Adena!" Cameron shouted. "Care to tell me what's going on?"

Apparently alerted to his presence, Adena faltered, "We…um…we were just…"

"We both wanted to know if you'd be our partner for the doubles tourney!" Tanis exclaimed.

"…What doubles tourney?"

"You know…_the_ doubles tourney," Tanis insisted.

"I didn't hear anything about a doubles tournament," Cameron said, even more puzzled than before.

"Well, I mean, there's bound to be one sometime, right?" Adena laughed nervously.

"So," Tanis said quickly, "who's it gonna be?"

"Erm…I don't know…"

"Come on!" Tanis barked.

"Choose!" Adena added.

"Uh…I…"

"Thank God we found you guys!" Cody burst through the door, Nate following closely on her heels.

"Wait, wha-,"

"We've been looking everywhere!" Nate interrupted Adena, grabbing her arm and beginning to drag her out of the room.

"We need your help," Cody said as she did the same to Tanis.

"With what?" Adena tried to break free.

"Uh…a tennis question!"

"A _tennis_ question?" Tanis stared at them incredulously, "You two?"

"Yeah, well, never too late to learn!" Cody laughed uneasily. "Come _on_!" And with one final tug, she had gotten Tanis out the door.

"You don't mind if we borrow them, do you?" She called back to Cameron. "No? Good!" They dragged the two girls down the hall without waiting for a response.

"What are you two _doing_?" Adena shrieked after they had been dragged all the way outside. Ripping her arm from Nate's grasp, she glared.

"Saving poor Cameron," Cody told them, letting Tanis go.

"From what?" She spat, rubbing the spot on her arm where a mark was quickly forming.

"You two!" Nate told them.

"Us? What are you talking about?"

Cody sighed at Adena's words, "Look, you can't drag Cameron into this until you figure it out for yourselves."

"Or at least admit you _like_ him," Nate added.

"Whatever," Adena shook her head, "I'm gonna go practice. I don't wanna be around _her_ anymore."

"Well, I'm going to the library," Tanis huffed, "I may breakout if I'm around her for too long." And with that the two girls took off in opposite directions.

"Well, that went well," Cody spat sarcastically.

"Hey," Nate told her, "if we hadn't gotten there when we did, it would have been a lot worse."

"I guess," Cody sighed. "Oh, and, a _tennis_ question?"

Nate chuckled, "So I crack under pressure. Shut up."

* * *

"Hey, Cameron!" Rick called, running up to him.

"Huh…oh…hey Rick…"

"Something wrong, buddy?"

"Nah," Cameron shrugged, "just chicks acting weird. As usual."

"I know what you mean," Rick laughed heartily, nodding. "Speaking of which, have you seen Cody?"

"Not for a while," Cameron told him, "you should try Bates' office."

"Ah, yes," Rick sighed sadly as the two boys sat down at a picnic table, "_Nate_. I don't get it…what does she see in him? What has he got that I don't?"

"Intelligence? Good taste in music? Similar interests? Vintage T-shirts?" Cameron offered, chuckling.

"Well, yeah, okay, there's that. But I have a rock collection. A _rock collection_!"

"Things aren't what they used to be," Cameron said sympathetically as he patted Rick on the back and stood up, "it take a lot more to win over a chick nowadays."

"That it does," Rick sighed to himself as Cameron walked away, "The times, they are a-changing."

* * *

"Oh, hey Squib," Dr. Myers said in a distracted voice as he emerged from his house with an armful of papers.

"Hi, Doc," Squib greeted him, making his way up the steps, "Cody around?"

"Uh, yeah," Dr. Myers was riffling through his papers, "she's in there somewhere," he waved a preoccupied hand toward the house and was soon out of sight.

"Cody?" Squib called, opening the door. Not hearing a response, he slowly made his way up the stairs toward her room. As he approached, he could make out the sound of laughter. Opening the door, he saw Cody lying on the bed on her stomach, with Nate on the floor, leaning against the piece of furniture.

"Okay, okay, check out this one," Cody passed him a picture over his shoulder, giggling.

Squib cleared his throat, and the laughter stopped immediately, "Uh, hey, I was just coming to see if you were coming to cards," he said, and then, remembering his promise, added, "Both of you."

"Oh, uh, yeah," Cody glanced to her wrist before realizing she wasn't wearing a watch. She quickly grabbed Nate's arm to look at his, when she became conscious of her actions and dropped it as if on fire, "Sorry, we, uh, lost track of time."

Squib nodded stiffly, "It happens. Coming?"

"Yeah," she cast a glance at Nate, who nodded, and the two got up, heading for the door. The unfortunate threesome reached the front door and both boys reached for Cody's coat. Luckily, she foresaw the action and grabbed it herself.

"Ready, then?" Squib asked.

"Yeah, let's go," Cody said, and the three walked toward the Open.

* * *

They really had to start avoiding these situations, Cody thought as the Top Guns sat in the Open. They sat in a circle around a table, Cody, Tanis, Nate, Cameron, Squib, Adena- the least dangerous order she could come up with.

"Uh…Nate, any two's?" She asked. She regretted her choice when she saw Squib glare at the boy.

"Go fish," Nate said, glaring back. Cody nodded and grabbed a card from the pile.

"Squib, any four's?" Adena asked. He nodded and slid a card over to her. "Tanis, any three's?"

"Go _fish_," she spat through clenched teeth.

"Well, fine then!" Adena angrily seized a card from the pile. Cody sighed. It was only mid-September, and already she could tell it was going to be a _long_ year.

_Nova-Janna: Lol, I tried to even out the couples…don't think it worked. Next chapter will probably be better, though, but I had to address A/C/T because of where I left it._

_Not as long as I'd like, but it'll do. Now, be dears and review!_


	8. Sadie Hawkins Dance

"_The Cascadia Welcome Back Sadie Hawkins Dance_."

"_September 29th_."

"_7:00 to 11:00_."

"_Fifteen dollars admission_."

"Well," Cody said, turning away from the poster on the wall and continuing her walk down the hallway, "this should be…lame."

"Are you kidding?" Adena screeched. "This will be _awesome_! I can ask Cameron!"

"What if Tanis asks Cameron?"

"…Crap. Crap, crap, crap," Adena sighed, "What should I-,"

"Oh, no!" Cody interrupted, "I am not giving you anymore advice!"

"But you have to! Why not?"

"Because last time I did, it almost got _very _ugly," she explained.

"So? Come on, it was not that bad!"

"_No_!"

"Fine," Adena sighed, paused, and then, "Oh come on! _Please_?"

* * *

"Oh, come on! _Please_?"

"_No_!" Nate sighed, turning around to face her, "Now will you please stop following me?"

"But you gave me advice last time!" Tanis whined, "Good advice!"

"And then Cody and I had to run in and stop you before you took out Adena," Nate reminded her.

"But it won't be that bad this time! I promise!"

Nate sighed again, sitting down at a picnic table, "No. I am not meddling again. Now please, _please_ go find a girlfriend to talk to. You're making my head hurt."

Tanis flung herself down beside him, "But I don't have a girlfriend to talk to! I saw Adena talking to Cody, so that won't work, and she's my only other real girlfriend!"

"You don't know _anyone_? What about Rick? Can't you talk to him?"

Tanis rolled her eyes, "Please." She sighed, "So, what about you?"

"We are not doing this. Tell me we are not doing this."

"Well, you won't give me any advice! The least I can do is try to help you," Tanis insisted.

"See, now, that's a nice thought, really, but I don't _have_ any troubles," he told her.

"Really?" She asked skeptically.

"Yes."

"So, you're not the least bit worried about the dance?"

"Why would I be worried about the dance? Dances are lame."

"So, you just don't care? At all?"

"Nope."

"Not even about, oh, say, a certain redhead?"

"….No."

"I don't believe you," Tanis smirked.

"Look, Cody can ask who she wants. It's her choice," Nate said.

"And if that choice is Squib?"

Nate paused, "Then…that's fine."

"And if it's you?"

"That's fine, too."

"You know," Tanis grinned, "you blush when you talk about her."

"What?" Nate whipped his head to face her.

"Cody. When you talk about her, you blush," Tanis' grin grew wider. When Nate remained silent, she stood up, "Well, even though you refuse to help me," she mock glared at him, "I am officially wishing you good luck."

"Hey, Tanis," Nate called reluctantly as she walked away.

"Yeah?"

"I think you should ask Cameron to the dance."

* * *

"So, what are you going to do?" Squib asked as he and Cameron headed back to their dorm, racquets in hand.

"About what?"

"The _dance_."

"I dunno," Cameron sighed.

"I mean, you do know what's going on with Tans and Adena, right?"

"I…have a pretty good idea," Cameron sighed again.

"Well, what are you going to do if they ask you?" Squib questioned.

"Go with whoever asks me first, I guess…"

"So, you like them, then?"

"Well, I mean, I guess, yeah…"

"So, you must like one more than the other," Squib insisted.

Cameron sighed, louder this time, "I don't know, okay. Let's just…drop it."

"Whatever," Squib shrugged as they entered their room. Tossing his things on the floor beside his bed, Squib flopped down.

"So, what about you? Aren't you worried about who Cody asks?"

"Nope."

"And why not?"

"Because she won't ask Nate."

"How do you know _that_?"

"Because I know Cody," Squib explained. "She keeps insisting that she and Nate are just friends. There's no way she'd just suddenly ask him to a dance. She's not like that. She's shy."

"And you think she's gonna ask you?" Cameron asked, chuckling.

"Well, I mean, she knows me best. I don't see why not."

"Man," Cameron laughed.

"What?" Squib snapped.

"Have you not been paying attention these past few weeks? I mean, sure, she insists that they're friends, but have you not seen the way they look at each other?"

"Look, Cody told me they're just friends," Squib snarled.

"And since when have you believed that? Just last week you were complaining about the two of them," Cameron reminded him.

"Look, I just don't think she's going to ask him okay?"

"Whatever," Cameron laughed, "I'm going to go take a shower."

* * *

"Hey, Squib," Cody smiled as he sat down beside her on the bleachers.

"Hey," he repeated. After a short pause, he spoke again, "So, you asked anyone to this dance yet?"

"No," Cody turned away from the match in front of them, "I dunno if I will. Dances aren't really my thing…"

"Oh, yeah, I know. I just mean, um, well, you should go."

"I should?"

"Well, I mean, we'll all be there. And there will be punch. Plus, you may even get to laugh at my dancing," he offered.

Cody nodded, "Well, maybe it won't be so bad. If there's punch."

Squib smiled, "How can you say no to punch?"

"So, I take it you're going, then?" Squib nodded. "So, who's the lucky lady?"

"No one, yet," Squib told her, "but it's only a matter of time. I mean," he smirked, "who can resist all _this_?" He gestured to himself.

"…You have chocolate on your shirt, hot stuff."

* * *

"Cam?" Adena knocked on the door

"Come in," he called.

"Hey," she smiled timidly as she entered.

"What's up?"

"Well," Adena sat on the edge of his bed, and he moved to sit beside her, "uh…how are you? Are you good?"

"I'm…good," Cameron chuckled. "You?"

"I'm good, too, thanks. Everything going okay? School? Matches?"

"Yeah," he laughed, "they're great."

"Good, good," Adena said in a high-pitched voice. "So, there's that dance coming up…"

"Yeah…"

"Has anyone asked you?"

"Not yet…"

"Oh, okay, cool…"

"Adena," Cameron decided to put her out of her misery, "is there something you'd like to ask me?"

"Um, well, actually….wouldyouliketogotothedancewithme?"

Cameron chuckled, "Sure."

"Wait…you understood that?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"So, then…we're going to the dance. Together," she confirmed.

"Yes, we are."

* * *

"Hey there, Cody!" Rick slid across the linoleum floor, landing directly in front of her.

"Rick!" Cody shrieked, almost falling over him.

"How's it goin'?"

"Uh, good," she chuckled.

"So, you asked anyone to the dance yet?"

"No," she told him.

"Well then, this is your lucky day!" He leaned in and whispered conspiringly, "Cody, would you like to ask me to the dance?"

Cody chuckled good naturedly, "I don't think you're allowed to do that, Rick."

"So…that's a no, then?"

"Well," she grinned, stepping around him, "I wouldn't want to steal you away from all the other girls just _dying_ to go with you. That wouldn't be fair, now would it?"

"No, it would not," Rick smiled, "you're right Cody," he turned on his heels and headed down the hall, "Now, which lucky lady is going to the dance with the Rickster…." Cody laughed, shaking her head, and resumed her pace.

"Nate?" She knocked softly when she arrived at the door. She pushed it open and found him sitting in front of a large box of files. "Piss off Bates again?"

"No," he smirked, "I like sorting through staff health plans in my spare time. I also enjoy long walks on the beach, candlelit dinners, and non-smokers." Cody laughed and perched herself on the desk in front of him.

"So," he spoke again, "you gonna go to this dance?"

"Yeah, I think I am…"

"Really?" He asked. "Didn't think it was your thing."

"Well, it's not, really, but all my friends are going so…Are you going?" She shifted gears.

"I highly doubt it," he chuckled, "no power on this earth could drag me to a school dance."

"Oh," she laughed awkwardly.

"Yeah, well, I mean," Nate took in her expression, "I'm sure there's _something_ that could get me there…"

Cody smiled, "Yeah? Like what?"

"Promises of rebellion…the possibility of getting to see Squib 'dance'…"

Cody stared intently at her feet, hanging from the edge of the desk, "Well…I dunno about rebellious acts, but I could probably get Squib dancing if I could get them to play _Can't Touch This_…"

"Thank you for that mental image," Nate chuckled, "I guess I could check it out…I mean, if it gets really bad, I can always leave, and…you'll be there."

"Yeah…" she continued to focus on her shoes. After a moment, she looked up to face him. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Nate…Would you like to go to the Sadie Hawkins Dance with me?"

He smiled and blushed _just_ enough that she noticed it, "I would love to."

_Finally, some action! Some parts of this seem REAL OOC to me, but I did the best I could… And I actually didn't even think to use this song until I was halfway through the chapter! Which is…odd, because it's one of my favorites and fits perfectly._

_Nova-Janna: RESOLVE the TRIANGLE? You mean, I can't keep the sexual tension and awkward moments going forever? Spoil my fun!_


	9. Groove is in the Heart

_Two chapters in one day? Ca-razy._

"…So you're going with Adena?"

"Yes."

"…To the dance?"

"Yes."

"And you're telling me this because…"

"Well, you're my friend, and…I just thought you should know."

"Well," Tanis stood up from the picnic table and began to walk, "thanks for the…consideration."

"So, you're cool with this?" Cameron followed her.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, I don't know…I just wanted to make sure…"

"Cam," she tossed him a half-smile, "I'm good."

"You sure?"

"Promise. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a feeling Adena is panicking about her outfit right about now, and my fashion sense is required," she smiled once more. Cameron nodded and watched her walk away.

* * *

"I can't believe this!" Rick cried dramatically, "It's the end of the world! How could this happen! I mean, I knew it was bound to happen, but that doesn't make it any easier! My life is over!"

"Rick," Squib said loudly and the smaller boy stopped his pacing, "what the hell are you talking about?"

"Cody!"

"What about Cody?"

Rick flung himself on the ground. There was an audible thump as his head connected with the floor, "She's not single anymore!"

"……._WHAT_?"

"Well, I mean," Rick struggled to sit up, rubbing his head, "she asked Nate to the dance, so that must mean they're dating now, and-,"

"Wait, she asked _Nate_? To the _dance_?"

"Yes," Rick heaved a dramatic sigh, "I knew it was bound to happen. I've been preparing myself since school began, but that still doesn't make it any easier…"

"Are you _sure_ they're going together?"

"It was obvious, really…I mean, it's been obvious since he came here. Everyone's noticed it…"

"_Nate_? She asked _Nate_?"

"I guess there was always some small part of me that was hoping she'd come around. We have chemistry! We have common interests! …I'm not sure what they are, but…they're there! What am I going to _do_, Squib?" Rick sat up once again, having taken to rolling around on the floor in agony, and looked around.

"…Squib?"

* * *

"You asked _Nate_?" Squib flung open Cody's bedroom door, barging in.

"Squib? What are you-,"

"How could you ask _Nate_?"

"Squib! Calm down!" She shouted at him. When he had halted his angry pacing and turned to face her, she continued, "Now, what's wrong?"

"You…asked Nate…to the dance…"

Cody sighed, "Look, Squib…"

"No, Cody! The guy is bad news! You don't know anything about him!"

"_No_," Cody told him harshly, "I know lots about Nate! _You_ don't know anything about him!"

"I know he doesn't care about you! And that's enough-,"

"That's _not_ true," Cody spat callously.

"Cody," Squib sighed, sitting on her bed, "how could you _do_ this?"

"Do what?" Cody sat beside him, "I don't understand…"

"You…asked Nate to the dance."

"Yeah…"

"It's just…" he sighed again, standing up, "never mind. This was…I'm being a jerk. This was stupid."

"Squib…"

"No, I'm sorry Cody. Just…forget about it. I'll see you at the dance," he walked out of her bedroom, head hung dejectedly.

* * *

"So," Adena called from her closet, "you _sure_ you're okay with this?"

"Adena," Tanis rolled her eyes, "I am _fine_. Now, if you don't hurry up and get dressed, we're going to be late for the dance." Tanis checked her reflection once more. A short, red dress, hair straightened, flats…it would do. It wasn't as though she had anyone to impress, anyways…

"Okay, okay, found my shoes," Adena hopped out of the closet, putting on her last heel, and spun around, "how do I look?" Tanis took in the knee-length, strapless, blue dress.

"Great," she told her honestly, "but tie your hair back. Like, a bun, or something."

"Okay," Adena nodded quickly and rushed to fix her hair. "So," she said after a moment, "you gonna be okay? I mean, I'll try not to ditch you, but…"

"…You have a date," Tanis finished, almost to herself, "I'll be fine. I hear Squib is going stag, so he can always keep me company if I need it."

"Why didn't you just ask someone to the dance?"

"Well, there wasn't really anyone worth asking…"

"I know what you mean," Adena chuckled, finished with her hair and inserting her earrings, "like, three quarters of the male population at this school are total losers…"

"Mmm hmm…"

"Hey, did you hear? Cody totally asked Nate!"

"Are you serious?" Tanis asked, glad for the change in subject.

"Yep! I can't believe it! They are _so_ cute!"

"Okay, last year you were insisting that Cody and Squib were '_so_ cute'," Tanis reminded her.

"Whatever," Adena shrugged, "you ready?" Tanis nodded and the two walked out of the room, arm in arm.

* * *

"Cody Myers," she whipped her head up at the sound of Nate's voice, curls bouncing, "you clean up very nicely."

She grinned, making her way down from where she had been waiting on the porch, "Thanks. You're not so bad, yourself. I must say, I was expecting something a little bolder. Maybe a T-shit with a bowtie and vest printed on?"

Nate smiled and shrugged, "My tux T was in the wash. This was the best I could come up with," he gestured to his dress shirt and pants.

"Well," Cody smirked, "it'll have to do."

* * *

"So…" Squib said, almost conversationally.

"Cody looks nice," Tanis offered.

"Does she?" Squib asked. "I hadn't noticed…" he glanced at Cody yet again. The redhead had settled on a rather long, simple, yellow dress and flats. Classic Cody, Squib reflected.

"Yeah, she does…"

"So…" Squib repeated.

Tanis sighed, "Okay, this is stupid. Dance with me."

"_What_?"

"Calm down! I don't have cooties, Furlong. There is no way I'm standing by this punch bowl all night. Dance with me," she commanded.

"Uh…Sure, whatever," Squib agreed, still in slight shock. Tanis grabbed his hand and dragged him out onto the dance floor.

"So, Cam," Adena said, her arms around his neck, "you having a good time?"

"Yeah," he chuckled. "Are you?"

"Of course," she smiled brightly.

"Good," he grinned. Suddenly, his gaze shifted to something over her shoulder. "Is that Squib dancing with…Tanis?"

Adena turned her head, took in the odd sight, and returned her gaze to Cameron, "Looks like."

"Huh…I wonder what they're doing…"

"She was probably tired of standing there all alone, knowing Tanis. Probably roped poor Squib into a dance against his will. At least it's a slow song; he can't do too much damage."

"Yeah…Yeah, you're right."

"…This song sucks."

Cody began to laugh, "Well, what do you expect? This _is_ a school dance…"

"Very true," Nate smiled down at her, "don't know what I was thinking…"

"So, aside from the music, it's not too bad…right?"

He chuckled, "Right."

"Good." After a pause, she spoke again, "Nate…I'm really glad…I mean, thanks for…I'm happy we…"

"Yeah," he nodded, "me too." She let out a nervous breath and rested her head lightly on his shoulder.

_Nova-Janna: It was so tempting, **so** tempting, so VERY tempting to put him in the tux T. There were several moment when I almost when back and wrote it in. But I just couldn't, not on his date with Cody. Hopefully the mention was enough…?_

_If you listen to this song, it doesn't really fit at all. But, it's about dancing. And it's one of those songs that's so one-hit-wonder-crappy that you can't help but love it._


	10. The Art of Losing

"So, are you two, what, are you, like, dating now?"

"I don't know, Squib."

"Well…are you going out again?"

"I don't know, Squib."

"Are you g-,"

"Squib! Can we please talk about something else now?" Cody sighed exasperatedly.

"Okay, okay," he defended, "I was just wondering!"

"Well, I'd prefer not to be grilled about my love life right now, thank you very much."

"Fine," Squib conceded, "we'll talk about something else."

"Do you have a match today?" Cody asked, picking at the pasta in front of her.

"No, not until tomorrow," he told her, "you coming?"

"Well, there's nothing else to do in this place…"

"Gee, thanks," Squib rolled his eyes as Cody stuck her tongue out at him.

"Hey, guys," Adena said cheerfully, slipping into the empty seat beside Cody.

"Hey, Adena," Squib returned the greeting.

"So, you never told me," Cody spoke, "how was your date with Cameron?"

"Great!" Adena exclaimed, "It was so _perfect_! I love having a boyfriend!"

"He's your boyfriend?"

"Well," she answered Cody, "obviously! I mean, we've been on a date! What else is there left to do?" She picked at Cody's salad, grabbing the redhead's fork and helping herself.

"Oh, well…cool," Cody told her.

"I know!" She squeaked happily. Taking a sip of Cody's orange juice, she got up, "Well, I've gotta meet Gunns!" With that, she skipped out of the cafeteria.

"Since when are Cam and Adena dating?" Cody asked once she was sure the other girl was gone.

"This is the first I've heard of it," Squib responded, "Cameron hasn't mentioned anything. All he's told me was that the date was 'good'."

"…Something tells me these two aren't exactly on the same page."

* * *

"Hey, Tans," Adena greeted her friend after practice. She flung her bag on the floor and sat at her desk. "So, have you heard anything about Cody and Nate yet? I was going to ask her this morning, but Squib was right there, so…"

"Nope, nothing," Tanis looked up from her homework, "I tried to get details from Nate, but he just locked himself in Bates' office to get away from me…"

"Since when are you friends with Nate?"

"Since now," Tanis shrugged.

"Whatever," Adena moved toward her closet, looking for something to change in to.

"So," Tanis started, "how did things go with Cameron?"

"_Great_! I _so_ love having a boyfriend!"

"Wait, he's your _boyfriend_?" Tanis asked.

"Well, yeah!" Adena smiled. She held up a tank top and jeans, "I'm just gonna change into these, and then we can head to the Open."

* * *

"Nate?" Cody called outside his father's office, "Why is the door locked?"

"Oh, sorry!" She heard him call from inside and, moments later, the door was opened for her.

"Thanks," she breathed, walking into the office and perching herself on the desk.

"So…"

"So…"

Cody laughed, "This is stupid."

"It shouldn't be so awkward," he agreed.

"It was never awkward before," she added.

"But," he pointed out, "that was before we went out on a…"

"Date," she finished for him.

"So," he said after a pause, "you wanna do it again?"

"You mean, like…"

"Go on a date," he clarified, a small smirk on his face, "with me," he added.

She smiled, "…Yeah." Slipping off the desk, she slid into the seat beside him and picked up a handful of whatever files he was currently sorting through. Nate cast her a shy glance out of the corner of his eye, and they continued their work in companionable silence.

* * *

"Tanis!" Cameron called, running up to her. She turned to see who had spoken, and continued walking.

"Hi," she said shortly when he caught up.

"Hey," he said, slightly out of breath, "what's up?"

"Just on my way to practice," she told him.

"Cool…so…you coming to cards tonight?"

"I might," she shrugged, facing straight ahead.

"Something wrong?"

"Nope."

"You sure?"

"Look, Cam," she snapped, "I'm kind of busy. Why don't you go talk to your girlfriend?"

"My…what?" Cameron asked, genuinely confused.

"Your girlfriend," she clipped, "you know, _Adena_."

"I don't know w-,"

"I have to go, Cam. See ya," she quickened her pace, arriving at the courts.

* * *

"…And he's just so sweet! He is _totally_ the best boyfriend _ever_!" Adena exclaimed. "And-,"

"Adena," Rick said, "can you please SHUT UP?"

"Well, I, you, we-,"

"Why don't you go find Cody?" He suggested.

"Whatever," she huffed, walking away without a glance back.

"Hey, Rick!" He turned around to see Squib walking toward him.

"Hey, Squibey! S'up?" He stood, hands poised on his hips.

"You seen Cody?"

"Not lately," Rick told him.

"Weird…I checked her house and Bates' office…which are really the only two places she hangs out…"

"You try the darkroom?" Rick suggested.

"No!" Squib exclaimed, already on his way inside, "Thanks, Rick!"

"No problem! Oh, and, don't touch the light switch- she tends to get angry…"

* * *

"You need a new subject," Nate told her, watching as she hung yet another picture of tennis to dry.

"Well, there's not much to photograph around here," Cody laughed.

"We should go into town one day," he suggested, "find you something more interesting to capture."

Cody smiled, turning away from her pictures to face him, and nodded, "Sounds good."

"All done?" He nodded toward the pictures.

"For now," she told him softly.

"We should get back, then…"

"Yeah…" Cody was suddenly acutely aware of just how close they were. They both began to lean in, almost in sync, when-

"Cody?" Squib opened the door. The two sprung apart, Cody managing to knock herself into her chemicals.

"Crap!" She exclaimed.

"Oh, are you okay?" Squib asked quickly, both boys rushing toward her.

"Fine, fine," she assured them. "I just need to mix some more…and change," she said, eternally grateful that the safelight of the darkroom was hiding her blush. "I'll, um, I'll meet you two in the Open for cards, 'kay?" She quickly rushed out of the room.

"So, um…what were you two up to?" Squib tried to be conversational.

"She was just developing pictures," Nate told him. He rummaged around, finally managing to find some paper towel. It was, after all, a converted storage closet. The two boys got to work cleaning up the mess.

"Cool…" Squib said.

"Yeah. So…you coming to cards?"

"Of course."

"Cool."

"Yeah."

"…You realize we don't have to be nice when Cody's not here, right?" Nate told him.

"Yeah," Squib said, "but, I just figured it would make everything easier."

"True," Nate agreed.

"Okay," Squib said after a pause, "this is too weird for me."

"Yeah," Nate agreed as the two boys stood up, finished with their cleaning, "no more of this nice crap."

"See you at the open, geek," Squib told him as they left the room, heading in opposite directions.

"Later, jerk."

* * *

"Hey," Squib met Cameron on his way to the Open, "I heard about you and Adena."

"Yeah, so did I," Cameron sighed.

"Ah, I figured you weren't included in that decision," Squib nodded.

"Yeah, well, now I know what I've gotta do…"

"And that is…?"

Cameron gulped audibly, "Talk to Adena."

"Ouch."

_Nova-Janna: But you're my only regular reviewer on You make me look good! Lol, here's hoping everything goes well, and you're online soon!_

_I DID know the names of all the chemicals required for developing pictures, but I forgot them, because comm-tech class was evil --_

_Make Ally happy- REVIEW._


	11. Goodnight and Go

"Adena?" Cameron knocked hesitantly on her door.

"Come in!" She called in a sing-song voice.

"Erm…hey," he said awkwardly, shuffling in.

"Hi!" She chirped, emerging from her closet and making her way towards him. Cameron took a step back, almost subconsciously.

"Uh, hey…look, I think we should maybe…talk…" he stuttered out.

"Sure," she sat on her bed, facing him, "what about?"

He sighed, "Look, Adena, I'm _really_ sorry if I gave you the wrong idea. And, I mean, it's not that I didn't have fun with you at the dance, because I _did_, but…it's just…you're one of my best friends…"

Adena's face fell, "Oh…so, you're…what? I mean, are we…"

He sighed resignedly, "I'm _really_ sorry, Adena. I just…don't really see you that way. I mean, we tried it and the date was great, but there's just no…"

"Chemistry," Adena finished for him sadly. He answered with a nod and a small shrug. "Okay," she nodded, staring at the ground, "well, um thanks for coming by and, ah, clearing things up. But I've got a lot of homework, so…"

"Adena, are you sure you're -,"

"Fine," she said quickly, standing up and making her way to her desk. "See you later, Cameron."

He nodded slowly, "Okay," and cast her one more glance before leaving the room.

* * *

"So, you two are gonna go into town?" Tanis asked, sorting through her friend's closet.

"Mmm hmm," Cody answered from her position on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

"And do what?"

"I dunno, whatever we want. Grab some lunch."

"Gee, that's helpful," Tanis rolled her eyes, still flipping through shirts.

"You know," Cody propped herself up on her elbows, "you don't have to pick an outfit for me. I'm sure I'll do fine on my own."

"Cody! Come on! This is your first date with Nate!" After a pause, she giggled, "Hey, rhymes…"

"Wasn't the dance our first date?"

"Well, okay, but this is the first date alone. Just you two. Not in a gym full of students," Tanis explained. She pulled a red tank top out and handed it to Cody, "Here. Try this." Cody sighed, but did as she was told and headed into the bathroom to change.

"So, how's Squib with all of this?" Tanis called, now moving to her dresser.

"Um, actually, pretty good, I think. At least, he hasn't said anything," Cody called back.

"Really? Wow, I expected, like, the whole works. Screaming, smashing things, death threats…Hey, do you wanna wear pants or a skirt?"

"Pants. It's getting cold out. And I know what you mean, but he seems…cool with it," Cody emerged from the bathroom, "How's this?"

"Oh, great!" Tanis said enthusiastically. She handed her friend a pair of jeans, "Okay, put these on. I'm gonna find you a jacket…" Cody rolled her eyes and returned to the bathroom. "So, how are you with all of this?"

"Me?" Cody asked. "Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Well, I mean, you and Squib dated for, like, six months. Not to mention, you liked him for a year before that. It doesn't bug you that he doesn't care?" Tanis asked.

"I don't think it's that he doesn't care," Cody re-emerged, "it's just that he's being…mature about it."

"Well, that's good. Maybe we can finally get through a card game peacefully. You know, those two grind their teeth a lot- it was kind of annoying me," Tanis handed Cody a jean jacket.

"Yeah," Cody chuckled, "I know." She slipped on the jacket, smoothing it out, and turned to her friend, "Good?"

"Perfect."

* * *

"So, you had the talk?"

"Yes," Cameron threw himself onto his bed.

"And?" Squib prodded.

"And what?"

"How'd it go?"

"It…went."

"Ouch."

"Well, I mean, she seemed really calm and stuff. But it was obvious she wasn't totally okay. I just hope she doesn't hate me…"

"Hey, this is Adena we're talking about," Squib reminded him, "She'll mope around for two days and by next Wednesday, she'll be chasing guys again. She'll be fine."

Cameron chuckled, sitting up, "Yeah, you're right. So, Cody and Nate?" Cameron watched his friend tense up.

"What about them?"

"Don't they have their big date today?"

"Yes."

"You okay, man?"

Squib sighed, "No, but…" he shrugged, "What am I supposed to do?"

"I still don't get why you hate Nate," Cameron paused and then laughed lightly, "Hey, rhymes…"

"He just doesn't seem like a good guy, okay? I mean, he was kicked out of all his old schools. And before you say anything," Squib cut Cameron off when he opened his mouth, "Yes, I know, I was expelled, too. But that's different. I mean, I snuck out and smuggled in chocolate bars."

"And what did Nate do?" Cameron asked.

"That's just the thing. I don't know! No one does! No one knows anything about that guy, except Cody, apparently. So…" Squib shrugged, "I guess I'm just gonna have to…trust her judgment."

"Wow, man, you're being very…mature," Cameron told him.

"I know," Squib responded, "It's kinda creeping me out…"

* * *

"So, let's hear it," Tanis said as she and Cody sat on her couch.

"What?" Cody asked, genuinely confused.

"You and Nate. Details."

Cody rolled her eyes, and then shrugged, "There's nothing to tell, really…"

"You mean, you two haven't kissed yet?"

"Nope."

"Huh…wow…"

"What do you mean, 'wow'?"

"Well," Tanis explained, "I just assumed you two had…what with all the time you guys spend locked up in that office."

"Yes, Tanis," Cody said sarcastically, "that's what we do in there. We lock ourselves in Bates' office and make out."

"Shut up," Tanis laughed and threw a pillow at her. Cody was about to respond when the doorbell rang.

"Oh, let me get it!" Tanis exclaimed, jumping off the couch. Before Cody could object, she had opened the door.

"Uh, hey…Tanis…" Nate said, confused.

"Hello, Nate," she said, letting him in. "Why don't you sit down for a moment?" She gestured to where Cody was seated on the sofa. Nate looked puzzled, but did as he was told.

"Um.," he leaned over to Cody, "What's she-,"

"Just let her get it out of her system," Cody told him.

"Now," Tanis stood before the two. "I want you," she nodded toward Cody, "to have your phone on at all times. I will be calling periodically to make sure you two are okay. As in, not doing anything that…would be frowned upon," Cody rolled her eyes, but nodded. "You," Tanis turned to Nate, who jumped in surprise at her sharp tone, "are to have her home to later than _nine_, you understand? And if you try something funny, I _will_ hear about it. Got it?" Nate nodded quickly. "Good," Tanis smiled brightly at her friends, "Now, you two crazy kids have fun," she held the door open as Cody and Nate made a quick exit.

* * *

"Adena?" Tanis called, entering their room. She saw her friend sprawled out on her bed, "You okay?"

"Fine," Adena sighed, sitting up.

"Really? Because you look…not okay."

"It's over," Adena sighed, and promptly fell back onto the bed, "apparently we're just friends. I got the message wrong."

It took Tanis a moment to understand what she was talking about, "What do you…Oh. Cameron?"

Adena nodded and spoke softly, "Yeah…"

"I'm…sorry," Tanis said, genuinely sympathetic, as she sat beside her friend.

"Yeah, well…"Adena shrugged, apparently at a loss for words.

"You wanna go…I dunno…hit or something? Cards? A movie? Something to make you feel better?" Tanis offered.

Adena sat up after a moment, "Well…We still have _A Walk to Remember_ out…"

Tanis rolled her eyes, "Just this _once_. And only because you're sad, got it?" Adena nodded, managing a smile.

* * *

Cody and Nate made their way up her porch, still talking quietly and chuckling, at 8:54. Tanis had, thankfully, not called once.

"So," Nate said, "moment of truth. You have fun?"

"Yes," Cody giggled back honestly, "did you?"

"Of course," Nate smirked playfully. The two began to lean in when…

"Hey, h- OH!" The two sprung apart at Adena's words. "I'm sorry! I'm _so _sorry!"

"Adena? Why are you in my house?" Cody asked, blushing.

"Well, the boys were watching TV in the Open, and we wanted to watch a movie, so…" she trailed off, "And then I heard a noise on the porch, so I came to investigate! I didn't even think of it being you two! I am _so_ sorry!" Adena was, if possible, blushing even harder than the two flustered teenagers in front of her.

"It's, uh, it's fine Adena," Cody chuckled, "I should get in anyways. It's," she checked her watch, "8:58. I've got two minutes until Tanis comes out here to kick his ass," she pointed to Nate. "So, um…" she stumbled awkwardly over her words, "goodnight, I guess…"

"Yeah, goodnight," Nate said. Cody quickly headed into the house, followed by Adena who had time to mouth one more 'sorry'.

"Hey Tanis," Cody dropped her purse on the hall table and turned to face the girl sitting on her couch, "Hey….Rick…" she said, surprised.

"Hey, Cody," he waved, not looking away from the screen. Cody shrugged and sat beside him on the couch.

"_A Walk to Remember_?" She asked.

"Adena's choice," Tanis told her.

"And you agreed to this?"

"I'll explain later."

"I'm _so_ sorry," Adena said again, sitting beside her friend.

"Yeah, we heard you're little spectacle out on the porch," Rick chuckled, "Way to salt her game, Adena."

"Rick," Adena spoke suspiciously, "have you been into my _OC_ DVD's again?"

Rick said nothing and reached for the popcorn.

_This chapter had about ten different titles. Originally it was 'Lyla', because that came on the radio and suddenly I had the urge to write. Then it was 'Bigger Than my Body', then 'Shakin'', then 'Soul Meets Body', and pretty much every other song that came on the radio. But I put on my OC playlist and finally decided on Imogen Heap's 'Goodnight and Go' because at least it sorta kind fits the end. A bit._

_I'm going through OC withdrawal. Know what'll make me feel better?_

_Reviews._


	12. Time Running

"Oh, come on!"

"No, Squib."

"_Please_?"

"No, Squib."

"Why not?"

"Because," Tanis turned on her heels to face him, the shock from her sudden movement almost knocking him over, "what Cody and Nate did on their date is none of your business."

"I don't want to know what they _did_! I just want to know if they kissed," Squib whined, resisting the urge to giggle childishly at her unintentional rhyme.

"It's still none of your business," Tanis told him.

"But the suspense is killing me!" Squib exclaimed as Tanis began to walk again.

She sighed, "_Fine_, Squib. They haven't kissed. Yet. Happy?"

"Well," he said, "not happy, per se, but at least now I know."

"….Why are you smiling?" She glanced back at him.

"Why not?"

"I think you're glad that Cody and Nate haven't kissed," she told him.

"Can't a guy just smile?"

"No."

"Well, I am, okay?"

"Squib," she sighed again, "you've really got to get over this whole Cody thing. She's obviously moved on. Why can't you?" When Squib didn't answer, she turned around to see what she could've sworn was a hurt look on his face. "…I'm sorry," she said at length, "that was harsh. But you've got to stop…pining."

"I am _not_ pining!" Squib defended. Tanis shrugged.

"Whatever you say," and turned around, heading into the school.

"Hey! I am _not_ pining! Come back here, I'm not finished!" Squib chased after her.

* * *

"…No chemistry?"

"His words exactly," Adena lamented to Cody as she lay on her bed.

"That's rough, Adena," her friend sympathized.

"Yeah, well," she sighed dramatically, "plenty of other fish in the sea, I guess."

"Hey guys," Tanis entered.

"Hi, Tans," Cody greeted her. "Where've you been."

"Being harassed by Squib."

"Ah," Cody nodded, "welcome to my world."

"How you doing, Adena?" Tanis asked gently.

"Oh, fine, fine," Adena hauled herself into a sitting position. She sighed again, "I'm thinking he was probably right. We're good friends. It's better that way."

Tanis nodded, and turned to Cody, "So. You and Nate."

"Yes?"

"Going out again?"

"Um, I hope so," Cody admitted. "I haven't really talked to him since we went out."

"Sorry, again, by the way," Adena said sheepishly.

Cody shrugged, "It's fine." Tanis glanced at her watch.

"Are we playing cards in the Open? Because we should probably head down there." The other two girls nodded and followed their friend out the door.

"You know," Cody spoke, "we really do need a new hobby…"

* * *

This was getting painful, Cody mused. Now instead of angry tension, it was awkward. Very awkward. Cameron and Adena were avoiding eye contact. Tanis looked torn over who to speak to. Squib was attempting to be mature to Nate. Nate was attempting to reciprocate. She let out an amused breath. Rhymes…

"Um," Cameron spoke, "Squib? Any three's?"

"Go fish."

"Tanis," Nate asked, "any two's?" She slid a card across the table to him. "Cody? Any five's?" She shook her head and stuck her tongue out at him. At Squib's glare, however, she quickly retracted it. Maybe he wasn't _totally_ cool yet…

"Cameron," he jumped at Adena's words, "and six's?"

"Uh, no, er, yeah, no, go, um, fish," he kept his gaze on the ground. The group cast him concerned looks as Adena reached for her card.

"So," Tanis spoke up, "what are everyone's plans for next weekend?"

Squib shrugged, "Practice. What else?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Adena mumbled, as Cameron nodded along.

"Cody? Nate? What about you two?"

Now, in Tanis' defense, Cody was almost one hundred percent sure that she had meant the question innocently. And it was innocent, really. It wasn't any different than if she had asked Squib and Adena, or her and Cameron what they were going to do. Except it was her and Nate. Two people who, there was a fair chance, would be spending it together. On a date. But who also had yet to talk about the date. And who were purposely avoiding any mention of their previous dates, or dates to come, for the sake of their blond friend. Well, Cody's blond friend, at least.

Thus, things got awkward.

The room quieted.

Cameron finally lifted his gaze from the ground.

Squib, in turn, suddenly decided his shoes needed immediate attention, and could not look away.

Tanis cringed at her words immediately.

Adena wore an odd, dear-in-the-headlights expression, as if she feared movement would disrupt their delicate, silent balance and the Open would be sent into chaos.

Cody and Nate blushed something awful.

"Um, I really don't know…"

"Yeah, no plans yet…"

"Might take in a few matches…"

"Dad wants some help…"

"Lots of homework…"

Tanis nodded, casting them apologetic looks, "Oh, sounds cool!" She said with a fake cheeriness. That, apparently, snapped everyone out of their trances. Squib looked up, Cam looked down, Adena returned to her cards, Cody and Nate's faces returned to normal colour. The moment had passed. Cody sighed.

Was senior year over yet?

* * *

"Hey…" Adena said softly, entering Cameron's room.

"Um….hi…." he looked up from his textbook.

"So, that was…."

"Awkward?" He suggested.

"Kinda," she chuckled. She took a seat on his bed, "Look, Cam. I don't want this to, like ruin our friendship. You're one of my best friends. Us being torn apart over this is just…"

"Silly," he offered.

"Exactly."

"You're right," he conceded, "I mean, we're still friends. This doesn't change anything."

"Exactly," she smiled. She stood up, as did he, "So, no more awkwardness?"

He nodded, "Agreed." They met in an only _slightly_ awkward hug. When they pulled away, she smiled again.

"Okay, well, I just wanted to clear that up…I've gotta practice. So…" she pointed the door, making her way toward it.

"See you," he smiled, nodding slightly.

"Bye," Adena grinned back and left the room. She smiled proudly on her way down the hall. That went well.

* * *

"…And so, I don't know what to do! Because, I mean, Adena's my best friend. And it would just be so _wrong_ to go after Cam when he dumped her! But, on the other hand, she seems pretty okay with it…"

"Tanis," Nate sighed, "you have _got_ to stop doing this. _Please_. I'm not built for this! I don't to girl talk!"

"You talk to Cody _all_ the time!" Tanis pointed out.

"Not about boy drama! About music, and books, and the stupid things you guys do," he told her, a playful gleam in his eyes.

Tanis gasped mockingly, "Did you just make a _joke_? Well, you know what this means, don't you? This means we're friends. You're never getting rid of me now, Nate Bates."

Nate sighed and rolled his eyes, "Whatever. Look, I don't know what you should do about Cameron. I really don't. I suggest asking Cody."

"Speaking of Cody," Tanis changed gears smoothly, "do you two have a date for next weekend?"

Nate sighed, not facing Tanis as he placed a stack of files into a box, and hesitantly admitted, "We…may be going to a movie…"

"Yay!" Tanis shrieked in a very un-Tanis moment. "That's awesome. Maybe you two can finally kiss! And-,"

"Okay!" Nate cut her off, "Now _this_ I am _definitely _not discussing with you!"

"Come on! Friends talk to friends about this kind of stuff," she said, nodding solemnly.

"Why don't you go make friends with Squib, then? He looks lonely," Nate suggested.

"Fine," Tanis huffed, "I'll go talk to _Cody_ about this," she exited the room, but yelled back loud enough that he heard, "But you really should kiss her!"

"Yeah, Yeah, I know…" Nate called back, moving on to another box of files.

_That was crap. No two ways about it. But I couldn't get it right. And I hate where it ended, but any ending scene I tried ended up being horrible. So, sorry._

_And, before anyone asks, yes, I AM going to point it out every time Nate's name rhymes with something. Because that just cracks me up._

_The chapter title, btw, makes no sense. I was about to upload this when I realized that I had no song picked. So I chose whatever I was listening to. It's a good song, though._

_Nova-Janna: Lol, even though I actually kinda like the idea of Adena/Rick, and have since ep 12, there will be none in this story. And I did kinda mean the 'no chemistry' thing as a throw-back. Not so much 'hey! I'll make him say what Seb said!' but 'CRAP! That's exactly was SEB already said! Oh well, I can't think of anything else..._

_Candy: Hope the you-know-what-ness was okay._


	13. Watch The Sky

"So, next Saturday?"

"Yes," Cody told Tanis, "and I would appreciate it if you skipped the lecture this time."

"Hey! I was just making sure he treated you right!" Tanis insisted, taking a bite of her salad.

"Making sure who treated Cody right?" Adena asked, joining her friends.

"Nate," Tanis explained.

"Oh, _Nate_," Adena giggled, "So, do you two have another date?"

"Yes," Cody confirmed, "this Saturday."

"And Nate's gonna kiss her this time," Tanis insisted forcefully.

"_Really_?" Adena asked.

"Well, he better, or I'll have to kick his ass," Tanis told her.

"You know, I'd appreciate it if the two of you, say, I don't know…minded your own business!"

"What's your problem?" Adena asked, somewhat huffily.

"She's tense," Tanis explained, "she needs to be kissed."

Cody rolled her eyes, "Shouldn't you two be at practice?"

"Crap!" Tanis glanced at her watch, "You're right! But this conversation is not over!" The two girls rose from the table and raced outside.

* * *

"Come in," Nate called, hearing a knock on the door, not looking up from the cafeteria duty schedules he was currently organizing.

"Erm, hey," Squib poked his head in. Nate turned to face him.

"Uh, hey…Squib…"

"I was just looking for Cody," he explained, "she's not in her house or her darkroom, so I figured this was a logical place."

"Oh, yeah, uh, well, she's not here. Sorry," Nate told him.

"Okay, thanks," Squib nodded, turning away, but then turning back around. "Hey, uh, Nate?"

"Mmm hmm?" Nate returned to his schedules.

"Why do you wanna be with Cody so bad?"

"_What_?" Nate faced him.

"Well, I just mean, why are you so set on being with her? There are plenty of other girls you could be with," Squib tried to convince him.

"Sure, but I don't _like_ them. I _like_ Cody. Why are _you_ so set on being with her?" Nate began to get annoyed.

"I'm not," Squib quickly answered.

"Really? Because I don't think you'd be here questioning me if that were true," Nate pointed out.

"Look, I just don't want her to get hurt, okay?" Squib said through clenched teeth.

"Well, despite what you may think, I am _not_ going to hurt Cody," Nate said angrily.

"Gee, so sorry. Some guy barges in, has been expelled from all his other schools, we know nothing about him…You're right," Squib said sarcastically, "I have no idea why I'm suspicious."

"Look, Furlong, I-,"

"Um, hey guys…" Cody entered. "Squib, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I was just looking for you," Squib explained, flustered.

"I was out with my dad," Cody told him, casting suspicious glances between the two boys.

"Oh, okay, so, I'll go…"

"Well, did you have something you wanted to talk to me about?" Cody asked.

"Uh, no, I was just bored, but I should practice. See you later," Squib nodded at Cody, not looking back and Nate, and left.

"Nate, are you okay? Your neck vein is-,"

"Fine. Just…fine."

* * *

"So…" Tanis started, "you and Cam, you're…"

"Good," Adena said, "Really good. He was right."

"You two are better as friends?"

"Mmm hmm," Adena nodded, examining herself in front of her mirror.

"That's good…" Tanis said slowly.

Adena nodded, "Yeah. Why?"

"Just wondering."

"Mmkay," Adena said cheerfully, "Come on, we have to get to the Open." Tanis nodded obediently and followed her friend out of the room.

* * *

Cody sensed tension. A lot of tension. And she heard the familiar sound of grinding. Grinding teeth, more specifically. Which could only mean one thing: her boys, as Adena had taken to calling them, had fought again.

"Pick up two," Squib spat out. Nate wordlessly picked up his cards.

"So," Tanis began, "any plans for the weekend?"

"Practice," Squib rolled his eyes.

"Pretty much," Adena said as Cameron nodded along.

"What about you, Nate? Planning to kiss any g- OW!" Tanis broke off suddenly. "Okay, who kicked me?" She glared at Cody and Nate.

"I did," Cam said loudly.

"What? You? Why?" Tanis rubbed her shin.

"Because," Cameron told her, "you need to learn to stay out of other peoples' business. Now pick up two."

* * *

Roughly twenty-seven hours later, Cody and Nate found themselves, once again, on Cody's front porch. Luckily for the pair, Adena and Tanis had promised to remain in their dorm.

"I can't believe that actually scared you," Nate laughed.

"It was a scary movie!" She defended loudly.

He shrugged, "Whatever, Myers. You're such a _girl_."

"Oh, gee, how insulting," she stuck her tongue out at him.

Nate chuckled quietly, "So, I will see you…tomorrow, I guess." Cody nodded, turning towards her door. Her hand had only just touched the knob, however, when Nate called her back.

"Cody…"

"Yes?" They remained silent for a moment, Nate looking almost as if he was having a small internal battle.

He looked nervous.

She waited.

He sighed.

She waited.

He kissed her.

_Okay, so, in my defense, I know that it's crappy and short. I've been working on it forever but nothing would come! And I wrote it in all sorts of different moods, like, one line a day. I don't even know what the point of the Squib/Nate fight was. And only half was proofed because I'm so freaking tired. So, there ya go. My excuses._


	14. Walk This Way

Gary Furlong was not jealous.

Not at all.

Not even a little.

…Well, maybe a _little_.

But it's not like he planned on admitting it any time soon.

In their defense, Squib had to admit that Cody and Nate had not been exceptionally couple-y around him. Not at all, really. The odd time, he'd see them holding hands on the way to class. Every once and a while, he'd catch a glimpse of a quick hallway kiss, but he knew they wouldn't have done it if they knew he was around. He guessed he had Cody to thank for these cautions.

What really irked him, though, was that they were _allowed_ to date. Whereas he and Cody had been forced to hide it just so he could stay in school. He supposed it was because, them not being players, dating could not serve as a distraction from tennis. Either that, or Bates was just tired of fighting with his son.

"This is getting a little creepy…" Squib whipped his head around at the sound of Tanis' voice, managing to slam his face right into his locker door. "_Smooth_, Furlong."

"I'm not creepy," he chose to ignore her mocking, "I'm getting my books."

"Yeah, while watching Cody and Nate," she pointed out, nodding her head behind him. Squib didn't need to turn around to know that Cody and Nate were standing at her locker, chatting about something or other. He had, after all, been watching them.

"I wasn't _watching_ them," he insisted, "they just…caught my eye."

"Whatever, Squib," Tanis shrugged. "Look, if this is bothering you so much, maybe you should talk to Cody about it."

"I can't do that," he sighed.

"Because…?" Tanis urged.

"Because it's not fair! I can't ask her to stop hanging out with her boyfriend for my sake."

"Wow, that's extremely…not selfish," Tanis admitted.

"Yeah, well, tell no one."

* * *

"Okay, you're done," Gunnerson barked, "good work, hit the showers!" Cameron nodded appreciatively, panting, and headed toward the locked room. After an extra long shower (his reward, he felt, for an extra long practice), he emerged to find Tanis leaning against the wall just outside the door.

"Hey, waiting for me?" He joked, duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

"Actually, yeah," she told him. He raised an inquisitive eyebrow and she continued, "Well, Squib's off moping somewhere, Cody and Nate are most likely doing the couple thing, Adena's practicing, and I want someone to eat lunch with."

'Well," Cameron smiled, "I would be glad to."

* * *

"Squib?" Cody knocked tentatively on his door, pushing it open.

"Oh, yeah, hey," he said distractedly, looking up from homework that, if he was being truthful, he wasn't really concentrating on.

"I noticed you weren't at lunch, so…" she trailed off, stepping inside and revealing a plate laden with salad and 'pasta' (you could never be too sure).

"Oh, wow, uh, thanks," Squib stuttered out, taking the plate from her and placing it on his dresser. "But…I'm not really hungry…"

"Oh," Cody nodded quickly, "okay…Look, Squib, are you alright?"

"Yeah, why?" He returned his gaze to his homework.

"You've just seemed…distant lately. I wanted to make sure you're okay," she explained.

"Yeah, I'm fine," at her apprehensive look, he tossed her a small, reassuring smile, "I promise."

"Okay," she nodded, "good."

"So…" she spoke again after a pause, "I'll see you at dinner, maybe?"

He nodded slightly, "Sure."

"Okay," she tossed him a small smile, "see ya, Squib."

Squib sighed, watching her walk out the door, "See ya…"

* * *

"Hi, guys," Adena approached Tanis and Cameron as they made their way into the school. "What's up?"

"Nothing," Tanis shrugged.

"How was practice, Adena?" Cameron asked her.

Adena rolled her eyes, "_Practice_." Her friends laughed.

"So," Tanis began, "are we doing something tonight? Cards?"

"Of course!" Adena chirped.

"Hey, I gotta run," Cameron said, "I'll see you girls at cards," he nodded to them and was off.

"What's' with you?" Adena asked, watching a smile creep over Tanis' face.

"Nothing," she said, "it's just that that was…so _not_ awkward."

"Yeah, so?"

Tanis shrugged, grinning, "It's just nice."

* * *

"Mmm, wait, stop," Cody pulled herself away from Nate.

"What is it?" Nate asked.

"We shouldn't be doing this here. We're in the hallway," she explained, casting a quick glance around her.

"That's…never stopped us before," he pointed out.

"I know, it's just…come on," she grabbed his hand, "we're gonna be late for class."

_Okay, I ALWAYS forget what I want to say in response to reviews, not to mention I was dead when I typed the last chapter, so I'm actually typing this first…_

_Chelsea- Oh, Chelsea…I suppose I can forgive you just this once…No, I'm guilty, too. I know there's at least one No Glory in the Gun update that I've put off reading in favor of plentiful, yet much less interesting, assignments, usually dealing with Machiavelli at this point…Oh, and whatever fics you added to are now on MB._

_Nova-Janna- Okay, I meant to ask you this, like, months ago. In a review you mentioned 'Crimson and Clover'. Is that the song from the A&W commercial? 'Cause if so, I totally love that song. Or, what I've heard of it on the commercial… And fear not, tension shall arise, fights shall take place. As you may have noticed, I am slow. Everything is drawn out. It takes chapters upon chapters for me to get to anything significant. So it took 13 chapters to get them together, now the real fun can begin. And describing a kiss would require a modicum of experience. So for now, you're stuck with 'he kissed her'. It's all you really need to know. And I used to think S/T was evil, but then Candy worked her magic on me…_

_Now for the hard part, writing the chapter…_

_(after writing le chapter)_

_This chapter was gonna be called something totally different, but 'Walk This Way' came on the radio as I was proofing. God, that song rocks…Actually, 'Paint it Black' came on, too, but it seemed too angry for this chap..._

_Don't ask me why they're so short lately. They just are. And don't bother pointing out all the plot holes. Like, how did Tanis get to the courts so fast? If Adena was practicing, wouldn't Cameron have seen her? If Cody and Nate were both eating lunch, why didn't Tanis just eat with them? She's never minded intruding before…If Cody and Nate makeout in the hall all the time, why has Squib never caught them? Why hasn't a teacher ever caught them?_

_Now that I've pointed out all the flaws…review?_


	15. Monster Mash

"…So, now I'm torn. I mean, I know Adena _said_ it wasn't awkward. But I still don't think she'd be happy about it. There's, like, a whole rule about dating your best friend's ex. You don't do it. But I think maybe she'd understand…" Tanis paused, looking at the boy in front of her. "What do you think?"

"I think," Squib said slowly, "you should leave. Don't you usually talk about this kind of stuff with Nate?"

"Yeah, but I figured I'd give him a break this time. Besides, he's off with-," Tanis broke off.

"Off with who?"

"…His dad. Bates wanted some bonding time. You know. Bates and Nate," Tanis giggled.

"Okay, first of all, I know you're lying. Second, Nate and Bates don't even rhyme," Squib told her.

"They almost do!" Tanis defended.

"Whatever," Squib shrugged, "why don't you…ask Cameron to the Halloween party?"

"There's a Halloween party?"

"Yes," Squib informed her, "this Friday. You know, Halloween?"

"That…would make sense. Thanks, Squib!" Tanis gave him a friendly almost-hug and ran out of the room.

* * *

Across the school, Nate (who was not, in fact, bonding with his father) sat with his girlfriend, in her room for once, making plans for the weekend.

"So," he spoke, lying on her bed, "are we gonna go to this Halloween party? I mean…it's a Halloween party."

"There's a Halloween party?"

"Apparently. My dad mentioned it."

"Oh. Well, I suppose, if all our friends are going…"

Nate chuckled, "Okay, let me rephrase that. Do I have to go to the lame Halloween party?"

"Yes," Cody said firmly.

"Do I have to dress up?"

"Well…"

"Cody," he said in a warning tone, "please don't."

"Fine. You don't have to. But I'll be forced to ignore any persons not dressed appropriately."

"You're evil."

"Hey, guys," Tanis burst into the room breathlessly, "have you seen Cam?"

"No," Cody told her, "and why would he be in here?"

"I…don't know," Tanis admitted. "But I can't find him _anywhere_!"

"Did you try the courts?" Nate asked.

"Yes."

"The _back_court?"

"Yes."

"The Open?"

"Yes."

"The cafeteria?"

"Yes."

"His dorm?"

"…_Crap_!" Tanis exclaimed, already running out the door, "see you guys later," she called.

* * *

"Hey, man," Squib said as he entered his dorm. Cameron nodded and raised a hand to him, not looking up from his text book. "What's up?"

"Homework," Cameron mumbled.

"Cool," Squib said, "Well, not cool, but…"

"Yeah," Cameron chuckled.

"So, Tanis talk to you about the Halloween party yet?"

"No…wait, there's a Halloween party?"

"Yeah," Squib explained, "this Friday."

"Huh," Cameron shrugged, "what does that have to do with Tanis?"

"Oh, she was, uh…she wanted help with her costume," Squib attempted to cover.

"Oh," Cameron looked back to his textbook, "okay."

"I've gotta get to the courts, or Gunns will have my head," Squib explained, picking up his racquet and heading out the door. Moments later, who should appear but Tanis, looking perfectly flustered and out of breath.

"Hey…Cam…" she panted.

"Er…Hey Tanis. You okay? You want some water?" She nodded and he went into the bathroom, emerging seconds later with a small glass of water.

"Thanks," Tanis said gratefully after downing the glass.

"So, what's up?" He asked.

"Um, you know the Halloween party?"

"Oh, yeah, you wanted costume help, right?"

"Um…no," she told him, "Where did you hear that?"

"That's what Squib told me…"

"Uh, actually I was wondering if you maybe…wanted to go…with me…"

"Like…a date?"

"Well, yeah," Tanis said quietly.

"Isn't there a rule about dating your friend's ex?" Cameron asked after a minute.

"Well, I mean, technically you're not her ex! You only went on one date!" Tanis exclaimed.

"Well, did you talk to Adena about this?"

"No," Tanis admitted, "but I'm sure she'd be fine with it!"

"Tanis," Cameron spoke slowly, sadly, "Adena is my friend. _Our_ friend. We can't do that…"

"Fine," Tanis said bitterly, staring at the floor, "whatever. I gotta go."

"Tanis-,"

"Forget it, you're right. See ya."

* * *

"Hey, Squib," Adena greeted him as he walked off the court, "have you seen Tanis?"

"Not for a while, no. Why?"

"I saw her a while ago looking pretty upset, but I don't know where she went."

"Well, I haven't seen her…"

"Hey, guys," Cody called as she and Nate walked towards them.

"Hey," Squib answered, less enthusiastic.

"Have you two seen Tanis?" Adena asked, the foursome making their way towards the main building.

"Not lately," Cody spoke.

"So, you all going to the Halloween party?" Squib asked.

Adena looked confused, "There's a Halloween party?"

"How am I the _only_ one who knows about this?" Squib cried, exasperated.

"I knew," Nate pointed out.

"Shut it, Bates," Squib snarled.

"Squib!" Cody hissed.

"_Anyways_," Adena interjected, "I suppose if you're all going, I will."

"Because, you know, it will be _such_ fun," Nate quipped.

* * *

While the party had not turned out to be as boring as Nate predicted, it certainly wasn't anything worth raving about. Tanis stood sulkily near the speakers as the Monster Mash blared, dressed as a witch.

"Hey, you okay?" A princess bounded over.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, fine," Tanis flicked the long, black wig out of her face.

"You sure?" Adena asked, adjusting her tiara.

"Yeah, positive," Tanis replied shortly.

"Hey, man, something wrong?" Squib, in full vampire getup, asked Cameron.

Cameron sighed, "Girl drama."

"Ah. I hear ya," Squib tried to sympathize, "Well, not really, but…hey, at least your costume's cool!" Squib gestured to his friend's blood-spattered tux.

"I suppose…"

"See," Cody said, "now, is this so bad?" She adjusted her fairy wings slightly as she stood by the punch bowl.

"I guess not," Nate sighed, "but I still can't believe you made me dress up."

"Oh, it's not that bad. Besides, your costume's funny."

"More like humiliating," Nate gestured to his tennis gear, "but it was all I could think of."

"Well, I like it," Cody told him.

"Good," Nate leaned toward her. He caught her glance over his shoulder, as she pulled away at the last second.

"Come on. Let's dance. I love this song."

_Hurrah! Not only is it long(er), but the title is relevant! At first it was gonna be 'Somebody's Baby', which…isn't. But now it is! And yes, it's only Halloween. I told you I went slow. And no, I have not forgotten about colleges. Next chapter._

_Again, before writing the chapter…_

_Nova-Janna: That's the song from the commercial! Yay! No Death Cab? Tragedy! I just got the new one:) And I've heard a few Hot Hot Heat songs, I like 'em. They came here last year and a bunch of kids from school went. Have you heard about the Rainy Day Challenge? You've gotta enter! If you do, we'll officially have more than three fics! IF Candy holds up her promise…_

_Sarah: I haven't written a Pam/Jim fic as of yet. But I probably will in future. They're too cute not to._

_Chelsea: Liking Nate is the first step to corruption. Mwa ha ha! No, so long as you don't go around shouting 'omg cs 4eva I hat nate hez so evl lolz he shud dy its like kisin bates!' you're still good in my books._

_Candy: …It had just been a while since I mentioned you in the A/N. How's life? Good? Good. Enough you-know-what-ness (lol, I wonder if anyone's cracked the code) in this one? Hope so._


	16. Somebody's Baby

Adena sighed, flinging herself onto her bed, "I never knew picking colleges could be so hard!"

"Yeah," Tanis mumbled, not looking up from her magazine.

"If I have to hear that stupid councilor lecture me one more time…" she trailed off.

"Mmm hmm."

"Hey," Adena propped herself up onto her elbows, "what's up with you? You've been all weird lately."

"Have I?" Tanis asked unenthusiastically.

"Yeah, very."

"Oh," she shrugged, "well, sorry."

"So…there's nothing going on?" Adena asked.

"Nope."

"You sure?"

"Ya-huh."

"Okay…" Adena said slowly, casting a suspicious glance at her friend.

* * *

"Hey, Cam," Cody greeted her friend, taking a seat beside him in the library.

"Hey there, Cody," the boy didn't look up from the many pamphlets strewn in front of him.

"Ah, I see they got you, too," she gestured to the papers in front of him.

"Yeah," Cameron sighed, "it's like the entire school has suddenly caught the college bug."

"Tell me about it," Cody chuckled, "my dad has been lecturing me all week."

"Well, I'm not sure if I'm even going…"

"To college?" Cody asked incredulously.

"Yeah…"

"Why not?"

"Well, my dad wants me to come work for him…you know, take over the company someday," he explained.

"Is that what you want?"

Cameron sighed, "I really couldn't tell you…"

* * *

"Game, set, match- Miss Capaduca!" The announcer called over the enthusiastic cheers of the crowd. Squib sighed, exhausted, and he sat down on the nearby bench.

"Nice try, Squib," the smaller girl mocked on her way past, "but you still can't beat _me_."

"Yeah, yeah," Squib mumbled.

"Hey, man," Nate approached.

"What do _you_ want?" Squib asked irritably.

"Calm down, Squib, I'm just here to tell you to head over to Bates' office when you're finished. He wants to set up a meeting with the college councilor for you."

"Uh…yeah, okay, I'll be there," Squib answered, picking himself up off the bench and heading towards the locker room.

"Hey," Cody bounded up moments after Squib had walked away, "what's wrong with Squib?"

Nate turned around to face her, "Oh, he lost to Sunny."

"Ah," Cody nodded, "well, he's had a tough week…" the two started toward the main building.

"So, you had your meeting with the councilor yet?" Nate asked.

"No, I'm going tomorrow," she told him, "you?"

"Not until Thursday, thank God."

"Oh, it won't be that bad," she promised.

"Easy for you to say. I have _no_ clue what I want to do, or where I want to go."

"Well," Cody told him, "that's what the meeting's for."

* * *

"Hey, Cam," Adena caught up with him the next day.

"Oh, hey, Adena. What's up?"

"Have you noticed anything weird going on with Tanis lately?"

"Erm, no, not…not, uh, really," Cameron stuttered.

"Nothing?"

"Nope. I mean, I, uh, we, well, I haven't seen her for…a while. But, erm…no."

"…Are you sure?" Adena asked suspiciously.

"Yeah. Positive."

"Alright," Adena shrugged.

"Well, I gotta go to…practice!" Cameron was already running for the door, "See ya, Adena!"

"What's up with him?" Cody asked, sidling up to her friend.

"Couldn't tell ya," Adena admitted as the two began to walk. "Hey, have you seen Tanis lately?"

"No, not for a while," Cody told her. "Why?"

"She's been weird, too…"

"I'm sure it's just stress. College, and all."

"I guess," Adena sighed, and then turned to her friend, "So, how about you? How's your relationship?"

"Uh, good…" Cody said.

"But…?"

Cody sighed, "I'm worried about Squib. I mean, he tells me he's fine with it, but he's obviously not!"

"God, Cody, you can't let Squib ruin your relationship! He's gotta get over you sometime!"

"I know," Cody insisted, "but, I mean, he's, like, my best friend!"

"Yeah," Adena said, "and Nate's your _boy_friend. Squib doesn't get to call the shots anymore."

Cody sighed, "I guess…"

* * *

It was odd, Nate realized, to be the one person _not_ in an argument at cards for once. Well, he wasn't sure if Squib and Cody had been in a fight, as Squib's brooding was a usual occurrence, but he guessed from her stiff posture and the way she was sitting as far away from him as physically possible that _something_ was going on.

And then there was Tanis, who refused to look at Adena or Cameron, Cameron, who refused to look at Tanis or Adena, and Adena, who was desperately trying to catch the eye of either one of her friends.

Cody was right. It was going to be a long year.

_Okay, I'm not really sure what the point of this chapter was. To set things up, I suppose. Or the point of suddenly switching to Nate's POV at the end. Well, that was because I couldn't think of an ending…_

_Hehe, I told you the relevant chapter titles wouldn't last long!_

_And I apologize for the shortness. And the overuse of the phrase 'her friend'. But in my defence, most of this was written after chugging a glass of NeoCitran and, while that stuff is my elixir, it also puts you RIGHT to sleep._

_Nova-Janna: Aw, sucks about the comps! The Rainy Day Challenge is basically a fic challenge where you have to include a rainy day, a rubber duck (at least one), and an empty bottle (at least one). Submissions are due September 30th, so hopefully you have time to write! Normal details apply. If you need them, they're at the LJ. Or I can email them to you (does your email work?). And yes, Candy and I have secrets. Lmao, I would be shocked if we didn't. But you've basically cracked the code, you may just not know it. And I don't need to hear Nate's voice. I just know. He's emo. He wears glasses. I'm gone._

_Chelsea: I'm a cheater. I wrote a Halloween fic **MONTHS **ago (but as God is my witness, I shall restrain posting until Halloween!) and I needed costumes in that one. I just used my leftover ideas for this chapter._


	17. The Trouble With Love Is

Cody sighed, flinging her suitcase onto her bed.

"I've never seen someone come back from Christmas break so _exhausted_," her dad laughed from the doorway. "It's not as if you did much."

"Don't you have to unpack?" She asked pointedly, sticking out her tongue.

"Alright, alright," Dr. Myers held his hands up in mock surrender, "I can take a hint."

"Glad to hear it," Cody smiled, falling back on her bed. Seconds later, she sighed loudly and stood back up, making her way outside and toward the dorms.

"I have _got_ to show you these new shoes!" She heard Adena's familiar voice as she made her way down the hall.

"Anybody home?" She asked playfully, pushing open her friends' door.

"Hi, Cody!" Tanis rose to hug her friend, "How was your break?"

"Oh, it was okay," she smiled, "my dad and I just hung out with family in Montreal."

"You _both_ went? Isn't that where your mom is?" Adena asked from somewhere in her closet.

"Yeah. So?"

"Wasn't that awkward?"

"Not really," Cody laughed, "they're good friends. They just can't…be married…" she trailed off.

"Whatevs," Adena emerged, "_look_ at these pumps!" She proudly displayed a black pair of shoes.

"Amazing," Tanis said dryly.

"So," Adena plopped herself down on her bed, "I never got to interrogate you, Cody."

"About…?" Cody asked, sounding fearful.

"Nate! Duh! What did you get him? What did _he_ get _you_?"

"That's right!" Tanis exclaimed, "It's your first Christmas! That's, like, a big deal."

Cody laughed and shrugged, "Not really. I got him some CDs, a couple band t-shirts, a few records. He gave me some books on photography and journalism…"

"Ugh," Adena sighed, exasperated, "that is so _boring_!"

"Gee, thank you."

"I just _mean_," she clarified, "that if _I_ had a boyfriend, I'd get him…I don't know! Something romantic!"

"Like _what_?"

"Well, what does Nate like?"

"…Music," Tanis said at length.

"And…T-shirts," Cody added.

"…Okay. Point taken."

"Come on," Tanis grabbed Adena's arm, pulling her up, "let's go find the boys."

"Why?" Adena asked as she was pulled out of the room. "Boys are gross."

* * *

"Hey, girls," Nate waved feebly as he approached.

"Hi, Nate," Adena greeted him cheerfully as the girls made their way out of the school and down the front steps.

"Hi," Cody smiled. He leaned toward her and she deftly turned her head, effectively connecting his lips with her cheek. "It's freezing out here."

"No kidding," Tanis agreed, "come on, let's see if Cam and Squib are in the Open."

Sure enough, the foursome found their pals lounging on one of the plush couches in the Open.

"Hi, guys!" Adena greeted, sitting down beside Squib.

"Hey, girls," Cam smiled, "hi, Nate."

"_So_," Adena began in her sing-song voice, "how was your break?"

"Boring," Squib rolled his eyes. "So, so, boring."

"What he said," Cam nodded toward his friend.

"What about you," Squib turned to face Tanis.

"What _he_ said," she pointed to Cameron.

"Well," Adena continued, "what did you _get_?"

"Socks," Nate said dryly.

"A lecture on responsibility," Cameron spoke.

"Incense," Tanis added.

"Skis," Squib said.

"What's wrong with _that_?" Adena asked.

"I don't ski."

"…Oh."

"Yeah."

* * *

"So, was your Christmas really _that_ bad?" Cody asked as she walked toward class with Squib the next day.

"I guess not," he shrugged. "It wasn't really…anything. I just kinda moped around the house for two weeks."

"Now _that_ I can see," she smiled, entering the class and taking her usual seat next to Nate.

"Okay," Wiley called from the front. Cody felt a twinge of pity; the poor woman already looked ready to pull out her hair. "I know you're all excited to talk about your break, but this is _class_…Which _means_," she continued when her students kept talking, "we are here to _learn_…" she sighed loudly above the noise, "Which _means_ NO TALKING!" She watched with a small smirk as her class went silent. "Now, hopefully you all did the required reading over the break…"

* * *

"I can't believe she gave me detention!" Squib huffed as the group walked toward the cafeteria.

"You didn't do the reading, Squib," Nate pointed out with a note of satisfaction.

"How was I to know it wasn't optional?" Squib asked indignantly.

"She called it _required_ reading," Cameron informed him.

"Whatever. That woman is out to get me."

"Of course, Squiby," Tanis smirked, grabbing a tray.

"It wouldn't be Cascadia without dry meat and mystery stew," Nate quipped, catching a glance of their so-called lunch. He moved to slip his arm over Cody's shoulder when she quickly turned, grabbing a tray for herself.

"Ah, yes," she agreed, "the Cascadian special- Crap."

"I can _hear_ you," the lady behind the counter said sharply, glaring. Cody looked down, ashamed, and the group kept silent until they were clear of the lunch lady's wrath.

* * *

"So, your Christmas was…"

"Good," Cameron finished for Tanis as the two walked down the hall a few days later.

"Good," she nodded. "I was just checking. Because, you know, we haven't really _talked_ lately and…yeah. Good."

"Tanis, are you okay?"

"Fine," she said in a slightly squeaky voice.

"Are you sure?" Cameron asked slowly.

"Totally!" She exclaimed rather loudly.

"Tanis, is something-,"

"Oh my gosh, Cameron, I have to go! I forgot a…thing! In my…somewhere!" Tanis all but ran down the hall.

"Nate!" She called, out of breath, frantically knocking on the door to Bates' office. "Are you in here?"

"Tanis?" He opened the door.

"Help me!" She threw herself into the room. "I need-," she paused, seeing the floor littered with papers. "What's he making you file this time?"

"Order forms for new curtains."

"Fascinating! Okay! I need help!"

"So I've heard."

She sighed, "Don't be smart with me!"

"Fine," he perched himself on the edge of his father's desk, looking reluctant, "what's up?"

"It's Cameron."

"I'm shocked."

Tanis continued as though he hadn't spoken, "He's acting all…normal!"

"Oh no!" Nate gasped, "Not _normal_! That jerk!"

Tanis sighed, "You don't _get it_!"

"Evidently not."

"Before break, things were all awkward because he said he couldn't date me 'cause of Adena and-,"

"Wait a second! When did that happen?"

"Squib told me to ask him to the Halloween party! But he said we couldn't go together because he and Adena went on a date and that would be _weird_," she sighed, "keep up, Nate!"

"…You asked _Squib_ for advice?" He exclaimed, sounding mildly appalled.

"You were off sucking face with Cody somewhere," she shrugged, "desperate times. _Anyways_, now he's acting like nothing happened!"

"And that's…bad."

"Exactly! How can he act like _nothing_ happened? I asked him _out_! And he said _no_!"

"Maybe he just wants to forget the whole thing," Nate offered, "you know, get over it?"

"But," Tanis sighed, visibly slumping, "that means he _doesn't_ want to date me."

"And you _do_ want to date him?"

"Right."

"Then, I don't know," Nate shrugged, "talk to him, I guess."

"But he already said we couldn't date."

"And you're going to take that? I thought nobody messed with Tanis McTaggart?"

"You know what? You're right, Nate-,"

"I usually am."

"-I'm going to talk to him! Tell him what's what! Make that boy realize what he really wants!" Tanis exclaimed loudly, pumping her fist in the air. After a long, slightly awkward pause, she looked down at the sheets of paper scattered about the floor.

"I never realized Cascadia needed so many curtains…"

**That's right! I skipped Christmas! What ya gonna do?**

**I also included that line about Cody's parents for a very important reason:**

_**Mr. And. Mrs. Myers. Just. Didn't. Love. Each. Other.**_

**If I read one more tale about Cody's drug-gambling-alcohol addicted, chain smoking, abusive mother I'll scream.**

**This was for Nova. Because she has an odd fixation with this story…**

**One last thing: this hasn't been updated since _before_ season two. Crazy…**


	18. Open Your Eyes

"One week 'til Valentine's day!" Adena chirped in a sing-song voice, skipping into English and seating herself between Cody and Tanis.

"Oh goody," the latter said dryly. After her talk with Nate, she had rushed down the hall, fully intending to barge into Cameron's room and demand to know what he really felt for her.

Until she realized she was totally and utterly terrified.

So, in a move that even she could admit was cowardly, she'd decided to put it off until Valentine's day, in order to give her some time to organize her thoughts.

Or commit suicide. You know. Whichever was easier.

"What are you and the boy toy doing, Cody?" Adena drew Tanis out of her reverie.

"_Nate_ and I are going to dinner," she said pointedly.

"Oh, how _romantic_!"

"Yes, I'm sure," Cody said wryly, "what about you."

"Oh, Tans and I will probably hang. Watch some OC DVD's, right Tanis?"

But before Tanis could attempt to make up an excuse (somehow she thought "sorry, I'll be trying to get your ex to admit he's madly in love with me" wouldn't go over too well), Rick appeared on the scene, leaning on Cody's desk.

"The OC? Are you kidding? That show got _lame_. Now, Desperate Housewives-,"

"Rick," Cody cut in good naturedly, "stop now before you lose _all_ you dignity."

"…You mean I still have some in your eyes?" He asked hopefully.

"Go sit down, Rick."

* * *

"So," Cody quickened her stride, catching up to Squib in the halls, "any big Valentine's Day plans?"

"Oh, yeah, you know me- always a hit with the ladies," he chuckled.

"Really?"

"No, Cody, I'm doing homework," he rolled his eyes, "this is _me_ we're talking about."

"Wow," she sounded surprised, "I never thought I'd hear you downplay your own player status."

"And if you mention it in public, I'll deny it," he confirmed as the two laughed. "What about you? Shacking up with lover boy?"

"What a lovely choice of words," she smacked him on the arm. "Nate and I are going to dinner."

"Fancy schmancy. Where?"

"Some Italian place in town I can't pronounce."

"Should be _wild_," Squib smirked. "You coming to my game this afternoon?" She nodded, "Good. Later, City Girl," he ruffled her hair affectionately and left, heading toward the indoor courts.

* * *

"Something is wrong with Squib," Cody declared, walking into Tanis and Adena's room.

"Gee, thanks for knocking," Adena stuck her tongue out.

"Hello! Bigger fish to fry! Squib! Something! Wrong!"

"Calm down," Tanis spoke, lying on her bed, "what's wrong with Squib? Did he hurt himself?"

"Yeah," Adena chuckled, "bruise his _ego_?"

"You two are _hilarious_," Cody scowled, "but I'm serious! I saw him in the halls, and he was all…cheerful!"

"Oh no," Adena gasped dramatically, "not _cheerful_!"

"Think about it!" Cody commanded. "When has he _ever_ been cheerful? He was making small talk about my date with Nate- _Nate_!"

"Hey, it-,"

"Yes, Adena," Cody cut her friend off, "I know it rhymes. But seriously! He was practically skipping! Then he called me City Girl and _ruffled my hair_."

"That does actually sound…"

"…not Squib-like," Adena finished for Tanis.

"Maybe he's sick?" Tanis shrugged.

"Or got hit in the head with a tennis ball?" Adena suggested.

"I don't know," Cody sat herself beside Tanis, "but it was _creepy_."

"Never fear, Cody," Adena declared, "Adena Stiles is on the case! I'll have an answer for you by Valentine's Day- just you wait!"

The two starred at her blankly.

"…I used to read a lot of Nancy Drew," she shrugged, "but I'm serious! I shall find answers!"

* * *

Four days later, Adena hadn't found any answers, Cody was still worried about Squib, and Tanis was wondering whether moving to Russia was a preferable alternative to talking to Cameron.

"…and then he _ruffled my hair_!" Cody exclaimed to her boyfriend as the two sat in the president's office.

"Sounds tragic," he rolled his eyes.

"This is serious!" She stomped her foot.

"I'm sorry," he chuckled at her outburst, "but maybe he's just in a good mood! Maybe he…I dunno, won a match or something."

"I guess…" Cody paused, looking around and realizing something was off, "hey, shouldn't you be filing something?"

"I don't think he's got anything left for me _to_ file," Nate, who was perched on his father's desk, answered happily. "He has to wait until new stuff comes in."

"Hmm, well, lucky you, then," she smiled, moving toward her boyfriend.

"Oh," he said lightly just before her lips reached his, "so _now_ you'll kiss me?"

She froze, "Excuse me?"

"What?"

"What do you mean? _Now_ I'll kiss you?"

"Well, it's just the last few days…"

"What?" Cody pulled back, moving away from him.

"Have you seriously not noticed?" He asked incredulously.

"Apparently not," Cody was quickly getting riled up.

"You've avoided me like the plague! I can't kiss you, I can't touch you- I'm surprised I'm allowed to stand by you," he told her.

"I have not!" Cody looked hurt.

"Yeah…you have," Nate said gently.

"_No_," Cody said stubbornly, "I haven't," the two glared for a moment before she spoke again. "Whatever. I've gotta go meet my dad for dinner," she mumbled, leaving and shutting the door behind her.

Nate looked around the empty office, lonely and kind of wishing he had something to file.

* * *

"Okay," Tanis took a deep breath, sitting on a picnic table and facing a small tree that currently looked rather dead. She shivered slightly against the cold air, but Adena was in their room and she couldn't find anywhere else to be alone.

"I really like you," she started. "No. That's lame," she took another breath, "I know you said we couldn't be together, but I…want to be together? No. Stupid."

"_Please _tell me you're not trying to proposition that tree," Squib joked, coming up to sit beside her.

"No," she huffed, flustered, "I was just…doing something."

"O_kaaay_," Squib laughed.

"So, hey, what's up with you?" She changed the subject.

"What do you mean?"

"Apparently you've been all scary and happy lately."

"Who says?"

"Cody says."

"Well, Cody lies."

"You ruffled her hair, Squib."

Squib sighed, defeated, "Well, I'm not _trying _to be scary!"

"So, then, what's the deal?" Tanis pulled her coat tighter around her.

"Well, I mean, she's going out with Nate, right? Who I hate-,"

"Heh, it rhymes- it must be fate. That you hate Nate. Fate that you hate Nate-,"

"Tanis, we're being serious here."

"Sorry," she sobered.

"It's just…I can't be grouchy around her. She's my friend. Plus, she'll lecture me. I just need to learn to…not over compensate."

"Aww, Squib," Tanis looked genuinely sympathetic, "that's actually kind of sweet."

"Whatever," he shrugged.

"No, it is," Tanis said, "I'm glad you're being mature about this."

"Well, I figure I have to try. I mean, it can't be like this forever, right?"

Tanis didn't have to ask what 'like this' meant, "You'll get over her soon and then you'll be back to your ladies man status," she joked. "Just…until then, no more hair ruffling, okay?"

* * *

"So, you're sure he's okay?" Cody asked Tanis as Adena zipped up the back of her dress.

"Yeah, he's fine," Tanis answered from her friend's bed, "he just had a few too many Storm Bursts that day."

"Good," Cody smiled. She turned to face her friends. "Okay, so, do we approve?"

"Definitely," Adena nodded, giving her friend's outfit one final inspection, "now, go meet your man or you're gonna be late." Cody said her goodbyes and left as Adena began to clean up the makeup she'd brought over.

"So, what do you wanna do tonight, Tans?"

"Um, actually…I have somewhere to be…"

"What?" Adena whipped around, makeup forgotten. "A boy? A date? Who? Where? When? Why aren't you dressed? Where's-,"

"Adena, calm down!" Tanis sprang up off Cody's bed, grabbing her friend by the shoulders. "It's not a date! I just need to talk to someone! About school work!"

"I don't believe you!" Adena was still shouting.

"Well, believe it. And be quiet. I'll meet you in our dorm in a little while, okay?"

"I suppose," Adena narrowed her eyes, "but you'd _better_ be telling the truth!"

"I am!" Tanis promised, already making her way out into the front hall.

Tanis was, of course, lying. But she decided she could feel guilty later. Right now, she was a woman on a mission.

"Cameron?" She said in a firm voice, knocking once and entering his dorm. "You and I need to talk."

"That would be kind of hard," Tanis jumped slightly, surprised to see Squib sitting alone at his desk, "considering he's on a date."

* * *

Cody didn't think she'd ever had such a tense meal in her life. And that included all the family dinners leading up to her parents' divorce.

"So…" Nate began, trying to break the awkward silence.

"Did you mean what you said?" She blurted out. "About me ignoring you?"

"Look, Cody, let's just forget it," Nate said quietly, ever the one to avoid conflict.

"No," she said, "I want to know. Were you serious?"

"Look," Nate spoke at length, "you want the truth?"

"Yes."

"The past few months you've barely even looked at me when we're in public. I can't hold your hand, I can't kiss you, I can hardly speak to you. And it's always when Squib is around," he said evenly.

"That _isn't true_-,"

"Yes it _is_, Cody," he said, still calm.

"Well," she took a deep breath, looking around and becoming flustered, "what am I supposed to do? Just…let you jump me?"

"No, but-,"

"He's my best friend Nate!"

"And I'm your boyfriend-,"

"So you should take priority?" She hissed.

"No, I'm not saying that. But if your _best friend_," he said harshly, "can't get over the fact that you're dating another guy, it's his problem. It shouldn't be ours!"

"Nate," she said quietly, trying to make him understand, "I just don't want to _hurt_ him."

"So you're going to ignore _me_?"

"No, I…it's just…he's _Squib_, and…" she floundered for words, eventually just shrugging her shoulders.

Nate slumped, looking defeated, "Come on," he said quietly, nodding his head toward the door, "I'll walk you home."

"Are we breaking up?" She asked when they reached her porch; the walk had been silent.

"Cody…" he sighed. "Squib obviously means a lot to you. More than-,"

"_Not_ more than you!"

"Yes, Cody," Nate said, "he does. Or, at least, it sure seems that way. Maybe you've gotta…figure some stuff out."

Cody looked up at him pleadingly, "Nate…I…"

"It's cool," he nodded, "I'll see you Monday." Nate turned and walked away.

* * *

"Wait, so, who's he out with?" Tanis asked.

"Tanis," Squib sighed, "I didn't know ten minutes ago, and I don't know now. Please stop asking."

"But I need to talk to him!"

"I dunno," Squib shrugged, "you wanna hang until he gets back?"

"I guess," Tanis slumped back onto Squib's bed. "So what are you-," she was interrupted by the ringing of her phone. "Hello?"

"_Tanis?"_

"Adena? Hey, I don't think I'm gonna make it tonight-,"

"_No, you've got to come to Cody's place! They broke up!"_

"What? Seriously?"

"_Nate totally dumped her!"_

"Adena!" Tanis hissed, "Don't say it like that!"

"_Relax, she's changing; she can't hear me. But come, okay?"_

"Okay, I'll be there in a minute," she snapped her phone shut. "Change of plans," she turned to face Squib who was watching her curiously, "I've gotta run."

"What's going on?"

Tanis debated telling him, but decided Cody should do it herself, "Nothing; just girl stuff."

"Okay…"

"Happy Valentine's Day!" She raced out the door.

"Bye…" Squib returned to his textbook, determined not to focus on just how pathetic his night was turning out to be.

**Oh my! Eight pages of ANGST! Sappy, sappy, soap opera-esque ANGST!**

**Ah, well. At least things were accomplished. Review and tell me it wasn't enough to drive you away!**


	19. For the Windows in Paradise

"…You need to talk about it."

"No."

"Yes, you do!"

"Well, I'm not going to."

"Co_dy_!" Adena whined loudly.

"For the last time, this is a _library_!" The elderly lady behind the circulation desk hissed.

"_Fine_," Adena huffed, grabbing Cody by the arm, "we'll leave!"

"Adena!" Her friend protested, quickly sweeping her many papers up off the table as she was dragged out of the room. "I was kind of working on something!"

"On what? We have no homework," Adena snapped, still reeling from the librarian's blatant attack on her basic human rights.

"Last minute stuff. Scholarships. Applications."

"Cody, it's almost _March_!"

"I know!" She replied, indignant, "But it can't hurt!"

"Do you even know where you're going?"

"Well, NYU was my first choice but…"

"But what? What?" Adena shrieked, thinking this was the breakthrough she'd been waiting for.

"But that was with Nate," Cody spat out reluctantly. "Happy?"

"Very," Adena beamed, "but back to _Nate_. How does that make you-,"

"If you say 'feel', I'll _hit_ you."

"…Well, you have to talk about it!"

"No, I do not," Cody kept walking, straightening the papers in her arms, "Now, as I was saying, I think my second choice is Victoria…."

"Cody, you _broke up_!" Adena continued, relentless, "You must feel someth-," she was cut off by her own shriek as Cody grabbed her exposed arm between two fingers and pinched.

"Now," Cody said dryly as Adena rubbed her arm, "how does that make you _feel_?"

* * *

"You must feel _something_!"

"Tanis," Nate sighed, "_please_ stop now!"

"No! It's been almost two weeks! And you haven't talked about it."

"Because I am a _boy_!"

"Oh, come on," she sat on Bates' desk, watching the president's son file requests for dorm changes, "don't you ever get tired of being _emo_?"

"Not really, no."

"Fine," she sighed, "whatever. But if you want to talk…"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll come to you," he rolled his eyes, "change the subject."

"Well…" she thought for a moment, "I went to talk to Cameron!"

"Ah," he smirked, "I was wondering how you'd managed to keep quiet for so long. How come I haven't seen you two cuddling in the halls yet?"

"Okay, one: emo kids don't say 'cuddle'," she stuck her tongue out, "two: you wouldn't know because you've kept yourself conveniently locked up since The Incident," Nate rolled his eyes, "and three: he wasn't there."

"Seriously?" Nate raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously," she nodded, "I just hung with Squib until Adena called about-,"

"Don't say it-,"

"The Incident," she glared pointedly.

"So where was he?" Nate ignored her.

"On a freakin' date," she said in an uncharacteristically calm manner.

"_Seriously?_"

"Seriously," Tanis confirmed.

"With who?"

"Some random from town. I don't think he's seen her since. Whatever, he doesn't know I stopped by, so…"

"You didn't tell him?"

"Well, it's kind of humiliating now…and I think Squib knew enough to keep his mouth shut, because Cameron hasn't said anything." They were silent for a moment when she spoke again.

"So, Nate…"

"Please don't start."

"But you need to talk about it!"

"Aren't you violating some kind of girl code by hanging with the ex?"

"Nah," she shrugged, "Cody's much mellower than when she was with Squib. I think we're safe. Now, come," she patted the desk beside her, "spill you heart out."

"I'm ignoring you now."

* * *

"Nice game, man," Cameron greeted Squib as he came off the court.

"Thanks," Squib smiled, panting.

"So, you hear the scouts rumor?"

"Yeah, I think I heard something about that," Squib rolled his eyes, "_of course_ I heard the rumor about the scouts. Why do you think I've been showing up for practice?" He smirked.

"Man, if I could get a scholarship," Cameron said in an almost dazed voice, "no family business, no father…"

"Well, you'd better shape up then, my friend," Squib winked, "you've got a _lot_ of competition."

* * *

"Go away, Adena," Cody responded to the knocking at the door.

"Try again."

"Squib?"

"Does that mean I can come in?" He asked, already opening the door.

"What are you doing here?"

"Gee, nice to see you, too."

"Sorry," she smiled. "Hi."

"That's better," he nodded, taking a seat beside her on the bed. "So, I missed you at my match."

"Uh, yeah, well, there was homework and-,"

"You don't have to worry about him- why would he go to a _tennis_ match? Why would he go to _my_ tennis match?"

"I wasn't avoiding Nate, I just-,"

"Who said anything about Nate?"

"Squib!" She cried, exasperated. "I don't want to talk about my feelings or whatever."

"Relax, if anyone knows about bottling things up, it's me," he joked. "I am here to persuade you to join us in the Open."

"Well, oka-,"

"Nate will be there."

"Squib," she sighed, "I don't wanna-,"

"Look, Cody," he said in a rare and serious tone, "you and I, we're friends, right?"

"Well, yeah."

"Okay, and the A group. We're all friends, yes?"

She sighed, "Yes."

"And Nate, as much as it pains me to say it, is our friend, too. And even I find it kind of weird that we can't all hang out anymore."

"I just…" she sighed once more, "I don't know. It'll be weird."

"Probably, yeah," he nodded. "But…we miss you," he smiled sweetly.

"Fine," she conceded, "whatever," she hoisted herself off the bed.

"There's that red-head enthusiasm!" He laughed, holding the door open for her. "But, if I may delve into your feelings for just a moment, why _did_ you two…"

"Split?"

"Yeah," he blushed lightly. "Adena and Tanis said you won't tell them."

"It was nothing," Cody shrugged on her way out the door, "we just got in a fight."

It was, as Squib had promised, awkward. Especially when she arrived and all eyes were on her and Nate. But after she'd come out of her somewhat depressed state of silence and joined in the game of cards, she noticed that Squib was actually engaging Nate in almost friendly conversation, Tanis was, for the first time in a long while, not staring at Cameron and instead keeping Cody amused with her steady stream of chatter, and Adena and Cameron were finally behaving like proper friends, laughing like they used to, rather than two embarrassed children who'd had a bad experience.

It was about time, she thought as she smiled at Cameron's joke and threw down her three of spades; senior year was almost over.

**Okay, so, first of all, the song for this chapter is _actually_ called 'For the Windows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti' but that's really long. But it's by Sufjan Stevens and really good.**

**Nova- I need to email you! But I totally heard 'Crimson and Clover'! It's sung by a chick, yes?**

**And don't worry, children, this was not my attempt to skip over break-up awkwardness and make them instant friends (like _15/Love_ tends to do…cough). There will be drama! Passion! Adventure!**

**I know how it eeeeends! And we're getting close! …I think. Only four months left in the Bend and not Break-verse.**

**One last thing- this didn't go up as soon as it was written. But that's because my internet died and my brother stole the computer upstairs so I couldn't transfer and post. Nit may fault, see?**

**Review, and I just may update before season three premiers.**


	20. Because We Can

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"Adena, _stop_!"

"Fine," she huffed, glaring at Tanis and sinking back into the couch. "But why won't you at least consider it?"

"Someone else please explain it to her," Tanis sighed, "I'm done." The Top Guns had assembled in the Open to while away their Saturday afternoon, and Adena had spring break on her mind. She insisted that they plan _something_, seeing as it was only-

"…_One_ week away!" She whined. "We can still plan something!"

"Adena," Cameron tried calmly, "we have _work_ to do! Practice, homework, scholarships…"

"But it's senior year! _Senior year_!"

"Exactly," Cody pointed out, "so we can't start slacking."

"Squib," Adena tried, exasperated, "you agree with me, don't you? You're not all _grown up_ like these guys, right?"

"My dad would kill me," he shrugged.

"Nate?" She asked in a small voice. He shook his head silently, a small smirk playing on his lips, not looking up from his book.

"Well, you guys are just-,"

"Did I here something about spring break?" Rick ran over, hopping over the back of the couch and settling himself beside Adena.

"_Yes_," she said, "these guys refuse to do _any_thing!"

"What?" He gasped incredulously. "But it's _spring break_! The springiest of all breaks!"

"Exactly!" Adena agreed.

"I have to go hand my history paper in," Cody spoke over them. "I'll see you guys later."

"I'll come, too," Nate followed, "I need to talk to Wiley."

"What's up with them?" Cameron asked.

"What do you mean?" Tanis said, now ignoring Adena and Rick.

"They're being all…friendly."

"Not really," she chuckled, "they're handing _homework_ in. Besides, they're being _mature_. Unlike _some_ people who put sardines in their ex's underwear when they break up," she glared pointedly at Squib.

"Hey, you have _no_ proof that was me!"

"Cody saw you climbing out her window, Squib," Tanis said dryly. "We all did."

"Yeah, well…" he floundered, "I've…grown up since then."

"Mmm hmm," she rolled her eyes. "And I'm Sunny Capaduca's ball boy."

"I _will_ be if I don't start practicing," Cameron spoke, rising, "I'll see you guys later." He moved towards the door and motioned at Adena and Rick, "Try to calm these two down, will you?"

* * *

"…So," Cody spoke at length as she and Nate walked silently down the hallway.

"…Are you and your dad doing anything for spring break?" Nate asked.

"Nope."

"Oh."

"…What about you?" She asked after a pause. "Visiting your mom?"

"Nope."

"Oh."

"…So-,"

"Look, Nate," she stopped. "Can we, like…stop this?"

"I don't think you can just…_stop_ post-breakup awkwardness," Cody raised an eyebrow at his words, "it's the medical term, apparently. Tanis taught me."

"Ah…"

"Look, I don't wanna be all awkward either, but-,"

"Then why did you break up with me?"

"Cody," he sighed, "we covered this."

"Well, yeah, but it makes no sense!"

"Yes, it does, Cody," Nate looked around nervously, as if searching for an escape route.

"Nate," she said, visibly calmer, "look, I'm not going to do the whole begging to get back together routine, because you broke up with me, and…yeah. I just want you to know that _I_ don't think what you said is true," she paused again. "For whatever it's worth."

He sighed softly, "Okay. Er…thanks."

She nodded, "Okay," and that apparently ended the conversation, as she turned and began walking once again.

* * *

"So, have we got the details on that breakup yet?" Cameron asked Tanis the next day as they sat in the bleachers watching Sunny beat come poor Group C kid.

"Not really," she said. "He dumped her…that's all we know."

"Hmm…Weird."

"So," Tanis spoke, changing the subject, "I heard you had a big Valentine's Day date?"

"Oh, yeah," he made a nervous sound, "that…"

"So…I take it that it didn't go well?"

"Nah, it was okay," he shrugged, watching the match intently.

"So…are you gonna see her again?"

He shrugged again, "I dunno…probably not. But…maybe," he paused. "Are you…okay with that?"

Tanis thought for a moment, then answered, "Yeah," and smiled, because she was.

* * *

"Guy, guys, guys!" Adena called, running down the hall towards her friends with Rick trailing close behind. "We have the greatest idea!"

"Oh my God," Nate mumbled, massaging his forehead with one hand.

"No, no, just listen!" She exclaimed. "We…are going…"

"Camping!" Rick finished for her.

"…No." Tanis spoke for the group.

"No, but not for the whole week," Rick clarified.

"Just one night! One _measly_ little night," she looked at her friends, trying her hardest to seem innocent, "how can you say no?"

"Adena," Cody sighed.

"_Pleeeeeeeeeeease_?"

"Why not…" Squib shrugged.

"What?" Cameron cried, "Don't give in, man!"

"It's only one night," Squib reasoned, "and it'll shut them up."

"I guess it could be okay…" Nate conceded slowly.

"Perfect!" Adena squealed.

"We'll even pack everything," Rick promised. "All you guys have to do is bring clothes!" And with that the two took off down the hall, giggling.

"That…was kind of creepy," Tanis pointed out.

* * *

"We're only going for _one_ night," Squib said as he hauled three large suitcases into the woods, "we're not even leaving the grounds! What could you _possibly_ need all this for?"

"For the best spring break _ever_, _duh_!" Rick rolled his eyes.

"It's still only a _night_," Tanis muttered under the weight of her assigned suitcases.

"Okay, stop complaining, here we are!" Adena announced, "Voila!" She dropped her bag, grinning proudly, before a clear patch in the forest.

"There's…"

"No tent," Cameron finished for Squib.

"No, we're roughing it!"

"Adena, are you feeling alright?" Tanis asked.

"I'm _fine_," she rolled her eyes. "Come on, guys! It's our last spring break together! And we never get to have any fun!"

"Well…fine," Cody said, "but I better not swallow any bugs…"

The night had been progressing calmly, with roasted hotdogs for dinner and marshmallows for desert, when Adena had pulled a bottle of Absinthe out of her bag. Cody had been the first to speak up, but Adena had convinced her, once again pointing out that it was their last spring break and they were _nearly_ legal. That, and promising that it tasted like black licorice.

"Mmmkay," Tanis spoke, slurring _just_ enough to give her away, "I have never…gotten poison oak."

"That was weak," Squib rolled his eyes at her, but took a shot nonetheless.

"Where was it?" She asked.

"What?"

She rolled her eyes back at him, "The poison oak."

He shook his head, "You don't wanna know."

"Alright," Rick said, still fairly sober considering he'd never really done…anything, "my turn. I've never…had a girlfriend," he finished, looking sad. The other three boys laughed and took a drink.

"Go, Adena!" Tanis ordered.

"'Kay," she nodded, steadying herself, "I have never…cheated on a boyfriend."

"Wait, what constitutes cheating?" Tanis attempted to clarify.

"Kissing on the lips or anything more," Adena said solemnly, as if it were a serious issue and not seven drunk 17-year olds sitting around a fire.

"Oh, okay, in that case, no."

"What are you _talking_ about?" Squib said, apparently finding this rather humorous, laughing and shaking his head.

"Shut up," she smacked him. "In 5th grade, I let Denny Wyberg kiss me on the cheek behind the hockey rink, even though I was engaged to Adam Richardson."

"You slut!" Squib laughed along with the rest of the group.

"Cody," Adena spoke slowly, the only one not laughing, "you drank."

"…No I didn't."

"Yes, yes you did!" Adena pointed at her, waving her arms in an exaggerated manner, "I saw you drink!"

"Who did _you_ cheat on?" Tanis gasped.

"No one! I was thirsty!"

"Not buying it," Cameron spoke up.

"Fine, in seventh grade I made out with someone who was _not_ my boyfriend under the bleachers. Happy?"

"Aww, relax, it's not that bad," Squib comforted her, "at least you didn't cheat on your _fiancé_."

"Shut _up_!" Tanis shrieked.

* * *

"Nate, are you in here?" Squib called, opening the door to Bates' office. The two boys had been on surprisingly better terms for the past few weeks, no longer having to deal with the awkward issue of Nate's dating Cody.

"No, Mr. Furlong," Bates said smoothly from behind his desk, "and I'd appreciate it if you knocked next time."

"But…he's always in here," Squib said in a small voice, looking lost.

"I ran out of things for him to file," Bates sounded almost bitter. "Try the back court."

Sure enough, that was where Squib found him, reading on the old, worn down bleachers.

"What's that?" Squib nodded toward the book.

"Poetry," Nate didn't look up.

"Oh, yeah? By who?"

Nate looked up, raising an eyebrow, "Are you by any chance here for something, Squib?"

"Yeah, that was kind of obvious, wasn't it?" Nate nodded. "I have a question for you. And I know you and I don't really like each other, but it's about a friend, so I would really appreciate it if you answered."

Nate was shocked by Squib's completely serious tone and nodded, "Okay."

"Why did you break up with Cody?"

**Cliffhanger! Not really! Sort of!**

**It may be very obvious to most people, but cookies for anyone who can figure out who Cody _actually_ cheated on.**

**Don't ask me what the point of them camping was, really. It was mostly for some flirtation between two certain characters. And I had Moulin Rouge on the brain, so that's why the green fairy made an appearance. Besides, they're 17. They're not gonna go into the woods to drink orange juice.**

**Which reminds me, have I ever said they're 18? Well, they're not. Which makes sense, because aren't we led to believe that Squib's the oldest? And his birthday is late March, I believe.**

**This is almost longer than the chapter. Review, please? I worked hard on it!**

**Oh, and Adena and Rick are my secret OTP. Ever since they hugged that one time :)**


	21. Science vs Romance

"_Why did you break up with Cody?"_

Nate paused for a moment, "That's none of your business, Squib."

"Nate, come on," the other boy sounded exhausted, "would you _please_ just tell me?"

"Squib, it's not any of your business," he repeated. There was no way Nate was admitting that Cody liked Squib better- not to anyone, and especially not to Squib. He'd never hear the end of it.

"Yeah, it kind of is. Cody's my friend, and you're," Squib paused, "…a guy I know. So it _is_ my business!"

"Squib-,"

"Look, I'm not trying to use this against you, if that's what you think," Squib cut him off. "Like, I'm not going to turn around and use it to…get with Cody. We're…done. She doesn't want me. Which is _why_ I want to know what happened." He looked at Nate expectantly, "You guys were solid. Then you…exploded."

"Squib," Nate said dryly, "when _you_ and Cody broke up, you challenged me to a tennis match in front of the whole school and then fell out a window, like, two days later. _We_ did not explode."

Squib nodded, "Fair enough. But still!"

"Look," Nate sighed, knowing this was going to hurt, "Cody…doesn't want _me_."

"What…?"

"She's still…_whatever_ for you, okay? You win, Squib. The jock gets the girl."

"…Did she _tell_ you that?" Squib looked at Nate as if he were stupid.

"No, but-,"

"Then it's not true! Trust me, Cody would tell you."

"You didn't see her," Nate sighed, "she wouldn't go _near_ me when you were around. She was all _No, I need to think about Squib's feelings_! So, there, you win. Run off and gloat. Rub it in. _Revel _in it."

"…Okay, one: Tanis is right, you _are_ emo," Squib said after a pause, "and two: that's just Cody. You should know that. She'd stop _breathing_ if she thought that was hurting someone's feelings."

Nate sighed, "I _do_ know that, but…okay, let's say she _doesn't_ want to get back together with you- we're just supposed to tiptoe around you forever?"

"No, you shouldn't have to!" Squib insisted, "I'm over Cody. I'm a big boy!" Nate raised an eyebrow. "Seriously! I am!"

"Whatever," Nate shrugged, turning back to his book, "it'll sort itself out." The two sat in silence for a few moments when he spoke again, not looking up, a small smirk on his face, "Hey, Squib?"

"Yeah?"

"_We just had a heart to heart_…" He declared in a mocking, sing-song voice.

"Shut it, Emo Boy."

"_We had a moment…_"

"Quiet."

"_It was touching…_"

"I hate you."

* * *

"Adena," Tanis spoke tentatively as she lay on her bed, reading a magazine.

"Mmm hmm?" Adena replied, doing the same.

"Have you…I mean, are you…"

Adena looked up, laughing lightly, "Yes?"

"Are you still, like…in like with Cameron?"

"What?" Adena was full-out laughing now, "No!" She paused, a look of realization on her face, "Are you?"

"_Me_? I was never in like with Cameron!"

"_Tanis_…" Adena chuckled.

"Okay, fine," she rolled her eyes, "but not anymore!"

"Okay," Adena smiled, wondering what the purpose of the conversation was, and was about to turn back to her magazine when Tanis spoke again.

"I asked him out," she said quickly.

"You just said you didn't like him anymore!" Adena looked confused.

"Not _now_! But when I did. After you went on your date and he was unofficially-but-technically-not-at-all your boyfriend."

"So…you went out?"

"No, he turned me down."

"_What_? That jerk!" Adena leapt up from her bed.

"Adena…" Tanis spoke slowly, "you liked him, _too_."

"But still! He turned down my best friend!"

"He said I was breaking the girl code."

"Oh, what_ever_," Adena scoffed, "he knows nothing about the girl code."

"But you don't care, right?" Tanis looked apprehensive. "Because, I mean, I figured you guys were over, so-,"

"No, Tanis, I don't care," Adena smiled. "I mean, at the time, I totally would've killed you. But…now?" She shrugged, "It doesn't really seem that important. We had a crush on the same boy. Big deal."

"Why are you being so mature?" Tanis asked, still looking nervous.

"Maybe I'm just _growing up_," Adena said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

Tanis laughed, "So, we're, like, good, right? I mean, still friends…"

"Of course, Tans," Adena smiled, taking a seat beside her friend and grabbing the magazine from her hands. "No boy could ever accessorize with me the way you do."

* * *

"Come in," Cody called from her darkroom as she heard a knocking on the door.

"Hey," Squib smiled. "Busy?"

Cody looked down at the tubs before her, filled with solutions and photos. "Not really," she said sarcastically.

"Good," Squib continued. "Because _we_," he gestured between them, "need to talk."

"Okay…" she said slowly. "Why are you being weird?"

"Because this is going to be awkward."

"Erm…Squib-,"

"I don't care if you kiss Nate."

"…Excuse me?" Cody looked at him oddly, "We broke up Squib-,"

"Yeah," he nodded, "and I know why."

She sighed angrily, "I can't believe he told you!"

"I asked him! I practically dragged it out of him! But the point is I _don't _care, Cody! I mean, I don't want to watch you two sucking face during meals or anything," he clarified, "but…you can be with him and I won't kill myself."

"Gee glad to hear _that_," she rolled her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she paused before speaking, "Look, Squib…you're my best friend. Like, ever. And I don't like the thought of hurting you-,"

"But you're _not_," he said in a pleading voice, "Cody, you mean a lot to me, but I'm not going to let you screw this up because you're worried about hurting my feelings."

"Well, maybe it's weird for me, too!" She exclaimed suddenly. "Squib," her voice was instantly soft, "you're the first boyfriend I've ever had. Every other guy was, like, going to eighth grade dances and getting our parents to drive us somewhere. Or just sitting on some guy's lap at a party and letting him show me off because he had a car.

"I don't know if it's because our parents aren't around here or _what_, but you and I were in, like, a relationship. And sometimes kissing someone else in front of you just feels _weird_…Not because I don't want to be with Nate," she clarified, "because I do. But, I just get this feeling like _Cody isn't kissing Squib. Something is wrong in the universe_."

Squib gave a small half-smile as he let out a quick laugh, looking down, "Well, no one's ever said _that_ about me before," he attempted a smile. "Cody," he took a deep breath, "nothing is wrong in the universe if you're kissing another guy. We were…are…I dunno. Childhood sweethearts?" He shrugged, chuckling with her. "You're going to date lots and lots of boys in the future. _Lots_ and lots and lots and lots and-,"

"Hey!" She smacked him, smiling, "Easy!"

"…And lots of boys," he finished, laughing. "And I will try and date lots of girls but ultimately end up getting shot down."

She smiled sweetly at him, "…Yeah, you probably will."

* * *

"You are a very big person, Gary Furlong," Tanis said as the door to the darkroom opened.

"Were you _eavesdropping_?" He said incredulously.

"A little birdie told me you'd gone in there. And by that, I mean I threatened to beat Rick until he squealed."

"Well, that's just great," Squib rolled his eyes as he began walking down the hall.

"No," she called, following, "I'm all alone! Nate's being emo, Adena's freaking out because acceptance letters are coming soon, and Cameron's practicing like the _machine _he's become. And I'm serious, that was one of the sweetest things I've ever heard."

"Yeah, well…"

She smiled, "You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah," he sighed, "I mean, I don't think I _actually_ want to be with her anymore; I know that we shouldn't be. But it's still weird…"

"You just need to get over her," Tanis offered, "Like, fully."

"Like she's gotten over me?"

"Well…yeah," she said, not unkindly. "Don't worry, Squib," she said upon seeing his sad expression, looping one arm through his and pulling him out towards the courts, "you'll find your Nate."

"Tanis, that's gross."

* * *

"Hi, Nate," Cody said softly, poking her head into Bates' office.

"Uh, hi," he glanced up.

"…What are you filing?"

"Order forms for bed springs."

"…_Oh_," she raised an eyebrow.

"I know," he nodded, chuckling, "it's pretty ridiculous."

"Look, Nate," Cody slowly took a seat on the floor beside him. "I'm sorry about…all the Squib stuff."

Nate sighed, "He talked to you, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but don't be mad," she said quickly. "You were right; I was treating you pretty badly. But not because I wanted to be with Squib! I was…just being stupid."

He shook his head, "It's fine, Cody."

"No, Nate, look, I…don't know what to say," she laughed lightly. "I'm sorry?"

He couldn't help but chuckle, "Well, I'm sorry for dumping you on Valentine's Day," he looked down, "I've been informed by Tanis that it was a very bad move."

"Yeah, that was pretty low," she admitted, laughing.

"So…" he looked around, gesturing at the papers strewn about the floor, "wanna help me…file stuff?"

Cody smiled, "I have a better idea."

* * *

"Oh my God, I am _so_ sorry!" Adena exclaimed, slamming the door of Bates' office as she ran out, "I was just wondering if you wanted to play cards!" She called to the other side, "But you're obviously busy, so…sorry again! Did I mention that?" She turned to walk away, red-faced, but ran back, "But yay! About you two!" She clapped, jumping up and down. "'Kay, I'm done now. I swear. I'm sorry. Go back to what you were doing. Unless you already have. Which means I've been talking this whole time while you've got your tongues down each other's throats and-,"

"Adena!" Cody called.

"Right! Sorry! Going!"

**I swear, I have an explanation as to why this is so randomly sappy and feel-good and just _weird_. I'm listening to one of those songs that's so good you just want to CRY from goodness. And it influenced me. But I can't say what song, because it has inspired the fate of one of the characters, so…**

**Cody DID cheat on Squib! She kissed _Emo Boy_! But points for guessing Justin, because they were in their weird, ambiguous we're-not-dating-because-we-hate-each-other-but-we're-really-in-love-so-we'll-kiss-other-people phase.**

**Does anyone else love how C/N were apart for, like, 2 chapters?**

**And I love how after everyone becomes okay with my C/N-ness, I spring Adena/Rick on you! Relax, their purity shall remain untouched in this fic. Although I ought to hook them up for your comments- shut up, they are _totally_ cute!**

**This'll be the last for a while. Exams, ya'll.**

**Review, and maybe I'll pass!**


	22. Little Known Facts

Adena took a deep breath. Then another. Then one more for good luck.

"Adena!" Tanis snapped. "Just do it!"

"_You_ just do it!" She snapped back, fully aware that she was making little sense.

"I wanted to just do it twenty minutes ago!" Tanis reminded her.

"Okay. I'm ready." She took another deep breath, but paused, "Do you think we should wait for everyone else?"

"Adena!"

"Fine!"

The two girls were sitting on their respective beds, each with her own pile of identical envelopes. After all their hard work, college acceptance letters had finally arrived.

And upon grabbing the intimidating pile from the mailbox, Adena considered that maybe she should've spent more time studying and less time chasing boys.

It was senior year. Surely the university administrators would understand.

"_Adena_," Tanis coaxed her along, noticing she'd become sidetracked once again.

"Okay," she breathed deeply. "Which one should I open first?"

"Well, that's your first choice?"

"Victoria. You?"

"Boston." The girls smiled sadly at each other.

"Okay, ready?" Adena asked.

"Yes!" Tanis nearly shouted at her, tired of her stalling.

"Alright. On the count of three…"

* * *

"You okay, Cam?" Cameron paused in his rigorous training on the backcourt at the sound of Cody's voice.

"Yeah, why?" He asked, panting slightly.

"Well, we haven't seen you around very much lately," she explained as she sat on the bleachers, patting the spot beside her.

"Practicing," he explained with a chuckle, sitting next to her.

Cody nodded, "Have you gotten your letters yet?"

"Yeah."

"And…?"

"Well, it doesn't really matter," he explained with a shrug, "my dad's not paying. I need to focus on this tennis scholarship."

"Oh," she nodded.

"What about you?" He asked, sounding decidedly more cheerful. "I'm sure you got in everywhere you applied," he teased lightly.

"I haven't checked yet," she told him, smiling, "I'm still waiting for a few more to come, and then Nate and I are going to find out together."

"Well, I hope you guys get to go where you want," he said, letting out a resigned sigh and getting up to continue his practice.

"You, too, Cam," he smiled at her once more before turning back to his training.

* * *

"Adena, it's okay," Tanis said gently as the two walked down the hall towards the Open.

"I know," she said, though she looked disappointed.

"You got into U BC!" Tanis pointed out. "That was your second choice!"

"I know…"

"And they said right there in the letter that they had way too many applicants," Tanis tried again, "so it's not really your fault."

"I know," Adena said again, attempting a smile, "it's okay, really Tanis. I'll get over it."

"Getting into your second choice is _not_ that bad," Tanis offered.

"Easy for you to say! You get to go where you want!" Adena snapped.

"It's not that bad, Adena!" Tanis was losing her patience. "It's not like you didn't get into _any_ of them!"

"Look, Tanis, I just…wanna be alone, okay?" Adena said, not waiting for a reply as she turned and headed toward the nearest door.

* * *

"What are you doing out here?" Adena asked as she approached the backcourt, seeing Cameron hitting a ball against the wall.

"What are _you_ doing out here?" He countered.

She paused a moment, "I didn't get into the place I wanted."

"That's rough," he sat next to her on the bleachers, much as he had with Cody. "You okay?"

"Yeah…I mean, I am," she shook her head and let out a small chuckle, trying to appear nonchalant. "It's not even a big deal. I got into my second choice." She paused, her expression dropping, "It just…kind of sucks, you know? And Tanis is trying to help, but…"

"She doesn't get it?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "What about you?" She looked up at him kindly, knowing the situation he was in.

"I got into a few places," he told her, "most of the ones I applied for."

"That's good, Cameron!"

"Yeah, it's just the funds I have to worry about…"

"You'll get the scholarship, Cameron," she assured him, as if reading his mind. "You're too good not to."

"Well, thanks," he looked as if he didn't believe her.

"Hey," she said after a moment, "want some company? We could rally for a bit…"

"You don't have your racquet with you," he pointed out, smiling.

"I'll just grab an old one from the storage shed," she shrugged, making her way over. "Come on, Cam!"

"Alright, alright," he followed her, smiling as she skipped toward the shed.

* * *

"Hi, Tanis," Cody greeted her friend as Tanis took a seat next to her on the couch. She put down the magazine she'd been flipping through. "How'd it go?"

"How'd what go?"

"Tanis," Cody chided, rolling her eyes.

"I got into Boston," Tanis informed her friend happily, smiling proudly.

"That's great!" Cody hugged her friend tightly. "But…?" She asked, pulling back and noticing her worried expression.

"Adena didn't get into where she wanted," she said. She continued quickly at her friend's concerned look, "She got into all the other places she wanted. Just not U VIC."

"Well, that's still fine," Cody said. "Is she okay?"

"She's kind of disappointed…"

"She's Adena. She'll bounce back," Cody smiled. Tanis nodded, laughing.

"Only two months left…" she said somberly a moment later, glancing around the Open.

"More like a month and a half," Cody added.

"Can you believe it? Pretty soon we'll be free," Tanis laughed.

"Yeah," Cody joined in. "No Bates, no Wiley, no tennis freaks," she stuck her tongue out. The two girls sat in silence for a few moments.

"Want to play cards?"

"Sure."

**This was on the short side. But it's something. I've decided college acceptances/rejections are going to be handled in 2 or 3 different chapters.**

**A big thank you to ****Sectumsempra****, who went through and reviewed every chapter, AND checked out my site. Of course you can use my icons for MSN :) And OTP is 'one true pairing'. Like, the pairing you like the most.**

**And because people have started asking again, this story is NOT going to end up being Cody/Squib. I love them, I run a site, and I have lots of other fics with them together (that I really need to update), but this is my Cody/Nate story. I really hope that's not enough to scare anyone away.**

**I REALLY wanted to call this one 'Everyone's A Little Bit Racist', but there's really no way to write a relevant chapter without offending a whole lot of people…**

**So if you're still around, review!**


	23. Hands Open

"What does yours say?" Cody asked nervously, sitting across from Nate on his bed.

"What does _yours_ say?" Nate smirked lightly, his letter from NYU in his hands.

"_Nate_!" She swatted him on the arm.

"What?" He asked innocently.

"What does your- oh, for Pete's sake," she snatched it out of his hands.

* * *

"Guys, guys!" Cody called, running down the hall towards Adena and Tanis. "We got in!" She laughed as she caught up with them.

"To NYU?" Tanis asked, continuing when Cody nodded, "That's awesome, Cody!"

"Yeah, Cody, great job," Adena smiled, hugging her friend along with Tanis.

"I'm so excited," Cody admitted, grinning widely.

"You should be," Adena told her.

"Hey," Cody sobered, "are you…"

"I'm fine," Adena said, smiling genuinely. "I'm over it."

"Good," Tanis cut in, "because those UBC punks won't know what hit them!"

Adena laughed, "_You_ need to calm down!"

"Have you heard how Squib did yet?" Cody asked.

"No, but I'm sure he's fine," Tanis said. "He's managed average grades this year, and his dad will pay for any university he wants…"

"Cameron, on the other hand…" Adena spoke.

"What about him?" Cody asked.

"He got into a few places, but his dad's not paying," Adena explained sadly.

"Seriously?" Tanis asked, shocked. "I thought his dad would've caved by now!"

"Nope," Adena shook her head, "I overheard them on the phone the other day. His dad is _not_ paying."

"That's rough," Cody said softly.

"Speaking of Cam," Tanis said, "where is he? I haven't seen him lately…"

"Practicing," Adena told her. "Where else?"

* * *

"Hey, man," Squib spoke, approaching Cameron as he practiced on an empty court.

"Hey, Squib," Cameron greeted him but didn't stop, "how's it going?"

"Good," Squib told him, "I got my college letters."

"And?"

"I got in almost everywhere," Squib smiled.

"Alright, man," Cameron smiled, putting down his racquet and going over to Squib to give him an odd combination of a handshake, high five, and hug that women will never understand.

"What about you?" Squib asked, trying to approach the subject gently.

"College?" Squib nodded. "Well, I got in, but my dad's not paying…" he shrugged, "There's still the scholarship. If that falls through, I'll go work with him."

Squib stayed quiet for a moment, knowing his friend was facing a future he'd never have chosen, "Well…can I practice with you? Gunns says I have to work on my backhand."

Cameron smiled, grabbing his racquet from where he'd dropped it, "Sure, Squib."

* * *

"Hey there, ladies," Rick popped his head over the back of the couch that the three girls were seated on.

"Hi, Rick," Adena said flatly.

"Have any of you seen Sunny lately?"

Tanis opened her mouth to respond, but paused, "You know…I haven't seen her for a while."

"Yeah," Cody spoke, "she hasn't been around a lot."

"Where's she been all year?" Adena asked.

Rick shrugged, "Beats me. Bates was looking for her. Well, I'll be off," he gave a dramatic bow. "Later, babes."

"Hey, Rick," Cody called after him. "Acceptance letters?" Rick turned on his way out the doorway and, walking backwards, gave her a smile and thumbs up.

* * *

"Hey, man," Nate said, not looking up from his book as Squib sat at his table in the cafeteria.

"Hey," Squib said, looking around, "Where's…everyone?"

"Cameron's practicing, I believe, Cody's eating lunch with her dad, and I _think_ Adena dragged Tanis out for a shopping trip."

"…That sounds about right."

"So," Nate said after a moment, "Cody told me your acceptance letters went well."

"Yeah," Squib told him, "I got into a few places; haven't decided."

"Cool," Nate nodded slowly.

"Hey," Squib spoke after another pause, "I heard about NYU. Congrats."

"Thanks."

"……So, what are you readi-,"

"Squib," Nate cut in, "let's not ruin this."

"Sounds good," Squib nodded. The two finished their lunch in a semi-companionable silence.

* * *

"I'm so nervous," Cody announced, walking into the Open with Tanis and Adena to see most of the senior class already there.

"_Why_?" Tanis laughed. "You're not even up for the scholarship!"

"I know!" Cody explained, "But it's still _tense_!"

"Well, all I know is that I'm not getting it," Adena said, not sounding particularly disappointed. "My game's been suffering these last few months."

"That's okay, though," Cody said to her, "your parents are paying for at least pre-med, right?" Adena nodded.

"Cody!" They heard Nate's voice and turned to find the boys standing near the back of the room.

"Hey," she smiled, going to Nate's side as her friends followed. "You guys nervous?" She asked, turning to face Cameron and Squib.

Squib shrugged, "Kind of…" Cameron remained silent.

"Alright, students, quiet down," President Bates called from the small stage that had been set up at the front of the room. "As you know, each year C+C offers a full scholarship to one Cascadia student. Please help me in welcoming the CEO, Jeff Caplan to the stage." The students clapped obediently as a tall, dark-haired man took Bates' place at the mic.

"Thank you," he smiled softly. "Let me first say that we witnessed some amazing performances this year, and you all have bright futures ahead of you. However, we can only offer one student our scholarship. We've been watching matches all year, and this year's C+C scholarship will be awarded to…"

**I'll be gone all week. I should update this and/or 'Best Served Cold' when I get back.**

**I keep forgetting if Gunns is around in this story. He is now.**

**Nova- I'll email you shortly after I get back, I _promise_!**

**Coming back to reviews would be _lovely_. Just lovely.**


	24. Stay With You

"We've been watching matches all year, and this year's C+C scholarship will be awarded to…" Mr. Caplan paused dramatically as the entire room held their breath.

"…Gary Furlong." Applause broke out around the room, particularly from the Top Guns' corner. Cody let out a shriek and hugged her friend as the other girls did the same, and even Nate managed a smile and a pat on the back. He glanced over at Cameron to see that he, too, was clapping, yet he didn't look nearly as thrilled as everyone else.

Squib made his way onto the stage to accept the scholarship, posing for pictures with both Bates and Mr. Caplan. After a few formal congratulations, he fought his way through the crowd back to his friends.

"This is so great!" Adena cried, hugging him once again.

"Thanks," Squib laughed lightly, a little flushed from all the attention on stage. "Let's get out of here and celebrate." As the group made their way towards to door (interrupted only once by Rick flying through the air and latching onto Squib with a cry of "Squibey!"), he leaned down to Cody and whispered, "Where'd Cam go?"

"He left while you were on the stage," she told him. "Squib, I think he's pretty upset…"

"I know," Squib nodded, feeling a twinge of guilt, "I'll talk to him."

"Hey, man," Squib said, approaching Cameron where he sat on the old, worn down bleachers. "I figured you'd be hiding here."

"Yeah? How'd you know?"

"Because…" Squib paused, "well, everyone comes here." Cam let out an amused breath but stayed quiet.

"Look, I'm sorry, Cam…"

"Don't be," Cameron stopped him, shaking his head. "You did nothing wrong."

"Yeah, but you wanted this-,"

"And I should have worked harder for it," Cameron said with an air of finality. "It's okay, Squib. I'm not mad at you," he told him, looking at the ground.

Squib spoke again after a long pause, "Well, do you want to come inside and-,"

"I think I just want to be…alone for a while," Cameron interrupted him.

"Okay," Squib nodded slowly, rising. "Well, we're in the girls' dorm if you want to join us," he watched Cameron nod.

"Hey, Squib," Cameron called out as he left, "congrats."

"Poor Cameron," Cody said softly as she ate lunch with Tanis and Adena the next day.

"Yeah," Tanis agreed, "he's pretty down."

"Well, can you blame him?" Cody asked. "I mean, this was pretty much his only shot at college."

"Well, Squib _did_ deserve the scholarship," Adena pointed out.

"Adena!" Tanis scolded her.

"I'm not saying I didn't want Cam to get it! I just mean…it' not as if we can protest it or anything. Squib is the better player."

"It's true," Cody nodded, "even I can see that."

"Shut up," Tanis spoke quickly, focusing on her food.

"What-,"

"Hey, girls," Squib said as he sat down next to Adena. "How's it going?"

"Good," Adena nodded.

"…You were talking about me, weren't you?"

"…How did you know?" Tanis asked.

"I've never seen all three of you quiet at the same time. Ever."

"We were just talking about the scholarship," Cody told him.

"I feel bad," Squib shook his head. "I don't know what to do."

"Well, you never know," Cody tried, "maybe if he works for his dad for a few years, Cam can save the money and go to college later…"

"Yeah…" Squib mumbled.

"Well, I bet your dad was happy," Tanis offered.

"_Oh yeah,_" Squib said. "I don't think he's ever been so thrilled. He actually called me Squib. Not Gary or Boy."

"So, are you two getting excited yet?" Adena asked as she walked down the hall with Cody and Nate.

"Yes!" Cody exclaimed as Nate shrugged.

"Oh, that's right, Nate," Adena laughed, "I forgot- you're emo, you don't get excited."

"Haha," he laughed dryly as she stuck her tongue out.

"What about-," but Nate was cut off as Sunny came marching down the hall, two girls in tow who looked rather scared.

"The Open is this way- you'll be spending a lot of time there, usually playing cards," Sunny stopped in front of the three older students, grabbing one of her followers and standing her next to Cody.

"Hmm," she said, looking at the timid girl's auburn hair, "yeah, I think you'll do…" she grabbed her and the other by the arm and continued down the hall, "how do you feel about photography?"

"…_What_ is she up to?" Adena exclaimed.

"Come in," Bates called when he heard a knock on his door.

"Hey, sir," Squib said, slowly stepping into the office.

"Squib, my boy!" Bates called happily; the two had been on much better terms since Squib had received the scholarship. "What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you could tell me something about the scholarship?"

"Well, what do you want to know?"

Squib took a seat opposite the headmaster, "Who else were they considering?"

"Well…" Bates paused, trying to remember his many conversations with the C+C executives, "All the Group A students were in the runnings, of course…Sean Miller from Group B was being considered…a few others, too…Cameron had a really good shot, actually. He's really improved this year," Bates told him, "I think it came down to you and him…Why? Checking out the competition?" Bates smirked.

"Uh…not quite," Squib spoke slowly, looking up from where his gaze had been fixed on the ground. "Sir, I can't accept the scholarship."

"I just got a call from C+C," Cameron flopped onto the couch next to Squib. "Apparently there was a mix up with the scholarship."

"Yeah," Squib spoke, looking at the TV, "apparently they checked my record again and decided I had too many detentions. And suspensions. And expulsions. For which, it turns out, the limit it zero."

Cameron sighed, "Squib-,"

"Too many pool parties, man," he shook his head.

"I know-,"

"Never should've stolen that key."

Cameron paused and finally looked his friend in the eye," Thanks man. For all the pool parties."

**I'm really sorry if there are a lot of typos. I'm typing on a laptop (in Ontario) and my long nails keep hitting the wrong keys.**

**Reviews will make this vacation so much more awesome. Three chapters left, at the most.**

**I tried to post this on vacation, but wouldn't let me. I'm back now, so let's hope this works.**

**Aaaaand now it won't let me put in those lines to divide. So we have stars this chapter.**


	25. World Spins Madly On

Cody Myers did not like packing. Especially packing for university. Especially when packing for university had seemed so very far away until two days ago.

Prom.

That was pretty much it. Prom and then they were gone.

She'd be Nate's date, of course (even that failed to make her giggle). Squib would probably hit on everything that moved. Rick would hit on…her. Tanis and Adena would rip up the floor. And, she thought, Cameron may even join in; he'd been in a much better mood since he'd received the scholarship.

She sighed, folding up another pair of jeans and looking at her quickly emptying closet.

Cody Myers did not like packing.

* * *

"…You haven't gotten a _dress_?" Adena stared at her friend across the table, mouth hanging open and eyes wide.

"Well, no…" Cody said meekly; she'd been too busy _packing_.

"Why is it such a big deal?" Squib asked, ever oblivious.

"_What's the- how can- she did- Tanis!_"

"I have to side with Adena on this one," Tanis nodded, apparently able to understand what has just come out of Adena's mouth.

"What's the big deal?" Cody shrugged, helping herself to some of Adena's toast. "I'll do it this week. It'll take, like…20 minutes."

"Oh my- Tanis!" Adena turned command over to Tanis, apparently unable to think coherently.

"Dress shopping take a lot of time, Cody," Tanis explained patiently, "it's not like normal shopping. It's more like an art, really."

"Which is why," Adena spoke again, "we're taking you. Today."

"But-,"

"No, Cody! This is the last Saturday before prom. We're. Going. Into. Town."

"…Okay," Cody said meekly, rising from the table as Adena grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the cafeteria with Tanis following behind closely.

"So…" Nate said after a few moments of silence.

"Erm…" Cameron offered. Squib sighed.

"Yeah…"

* * *

"Cody, think hard! What colour is Nate's shirt?"

Cody sighed, "I _still_ don't know, Adena…"

"Well, it has to match!"

"I don't care if it matches! And Nate sure doesn't!"

"Well, I do," Adena said sharply, throwing another dress over the door to Cody.

"Adena, this is way too pink and way too puffy!" Came her voice.

"Try. It. On."

"How about this one?" Tanis came around the corner with a long, slim green dress with a thin white ribbon around the middle.

"_That's_ more like it," Cody said when she threw it over, emerging shortly after to examine herself in the mirror.

"Oh, Cody, it's so pretty!"

"You think?"

"Totally," Tanis said enthusiastically.

"I just hope it matches…" Adena mumbled.

Cody rolled her eyes, heading back into the dressing room, "I'm sure it will be _fine_, Adena. His shirt's probably white anyways."

"I can't believe," Adena moved on, "that after all this, _you're_ the only one with a prom date."

"…Thanks?"

"I just mean," she laughed, "that I always figured we'd be forcing guys into it and you'd be sitting in a dark room, rejecting the whole idea."

"Yeah, well…" Cody shrugged. "You two could have gotten dates."

"We talked about it," Tanis told her.

"About Cameron?" Cody asked suddenly, surprised.

"Oh, gosh no," Adena laughed, "that kind of…"

"…fizzled out," Tanis finished for her.

"Yeah. But we decided we'd rather spend prom with you guys than some random we barely know."

"Aww," Cody smiled, "that's so sweet."

"Shut up and come pick out some shoes," Adena rolled her eyes and grabbed Cody by the hand as she exited the dressing room.

"Do you know what the guys are doing?" Tanis asked.

"Well, Nate's going with me-,"

"Duh."

"I think Cameron opted to go stag."

"And Squib?"

"Squib probably tried asking every girl in the school and was then forced to go stag," she laughed.

* * *

"You're going stag?"

"Yep."

"…You got turned down by every girl you asked, didn't you?"

"…Maybe."

"Nice," Nate laughed. The three boys were sitting in Cameron and Squib's room, playing a rather violent video game.

"Dude, you just chopped my head off!" Cameron exclaimed.

"…So?" Nate asked.

"I'm on your team!"

"…Oh. Sorry."

"Gosh, Bates," Squib piped up, "this is what reading all day does to you. You're not prepared for the real world."

"Yeah, because in the real world people run around in armor fighting evil, mutant zombies from the underworld and their army of fire-breathing ponies…"

"Stallions!" Squib defended, "For the last time! Not _ponies_! Stallions! Steeds!"

"Whatever, man," Nate shrugged, "all I know is the one I just stabbed was up to my hip and tried to nuzzle me before it attacked."

"I'm ignoring you," Squib said haughtily.

"I'm not the one who got turned down by every girl in the school…"

"Okay, first of all, I didn't ask _every_ girl! Just a lot. And at least I tried. Cameron here didn't even put in an effort."

"Well, what's the point?" Cameron asked. "This is our last hoorah. I'd rather hang with you guys than anyone else."

"Do you see that?" Squib asked, looking to Nate. "Do you see what he's become?"

"Yeah, what happened to Cameron White- Ladies' man, man's man, man about town?"

"…Nate," Cameron said slowly, "have you been watching _Down With Love_ again?"

Nate shrugged, "Cody likes Ewan McGregor."

"…Fair enough," Squib conceded.

"Nate?"

"Yeah?"

"You stabbed me again."

"…Sorry."

* * *

"I want to go home!" Cody whined, following Adena and Tanis down the street, "My feet hurt! My arms hurt! Everything hurts! All of me!"

"We're almost done, Cody," Adena said as she rolled her eyes, "we just need to find you a handbag."

"But I don't care about handbags!"

"Yes you do, you just don't know it yet."

"This will be quick," Tanis said in a more gentle voice, grabbing her arm and steering her into a store, "I promise."

"So," Cody said as she fingered the many handbags Adena passed to her, "have you guys started packing yet?"

"Ugh," Adena sighed, "don't talk to me about that."

"I keep putting it off," Tanis admitted, "It makes me depressed. Which makes no sense, considering we've been waiting three years to escape this place."

"I know, right?" Cody laughed. "My dad is suddenly getting all nostalgic. Last night, he pulled out baby pictures."

"Oh God!" Adena laughed. "It's just…" she sobered, "it's sad to think of packing up all my stuff. I've been in that dorm for three years. I shared that dorm with Meghan…"

"Yeah…" Tanis said softly, always feeling a bit awkward when the Top Guns reflected on the friends she never knew, as the girls stood in silence.

"Hey," Cody swatted Adena in the arm with a small, white purse, "_she_ would've been on my side about this whole matching thing."

"Oh, shut up," Adena laughed, dragging her over to another display, "it's totally important."

"She never would have dragged me into three stores for a _purse_, either!"

* * *

"Okay, this has officially gotten old," Squib said, turning the game off.

"I think I broke my hand…" Nate mused, flexing his fingers tentatively.

"You've just gotta build up an immunity," Cameron told him.

"When are the girls gonna be back?" Nate sighed, throwing his head back against the bed he was siiting against.

"You've never seen Adena shop," Squib told him. "It could be days."

"Wonderful."

"So, now what?" Cameron asked.

"…We've got a racing game somewhere."

"Sounds good," Nate sat back up.

"I think I leant that one to Rick," Cameron said, rising to his feet.

"Aw, Rick? Seriously, Cameron?" Squib whined.

"Calm down, you baby. I'll go get it," Cameron rolled his eyes, moving to the door.

"Be sure to wipe it down…"

"So," Nate said after a moment, "decided where you're going yet?"

"No," Squib sighed, "not yet. Those deadlines are almost here, though…"

"You'll be okay," Nate shrugged, leaning back again with his eyes closed.

"I can't believe it's been a whole year…" Squib mused. "It went by really…fast."

"Yeah," Nate nodded. "It's crazy."

"Especially considering we spent most of it fighting."

"Hey, I like to think we've resolved our differences," Nate smirked.

"You wish, emo kid."

"At least I'm literate."

"Oh, is that what you call sitting alone and whining all day?"

Nate smiled softly, finally opening his eyes to face Squib, "It's been fun, Squib."

"Yeah," Squib smiled back, "it has."

* * *

"We're done!" Cody yelled, stepping out into the windy street. "Done! DONE! DOOOONE!"

"You know," Tanis said, smirking at Adena, "maybe we should just pop into one more shoe store; you can never be too sure…"

"Don't even joke about that!" Cody shrieked.

"Oh, calm down, Cody. Yes, we're _done_," Adena stuck her tongue out.

"All we have to do is get through this prom-,"

"And not trip on the stage!" Adena added.

"-and we've made it."

"Hey," Cody said after a moment of silence, "come on, picture time!"

"You brought your camera _dress shopping_?" Adena asked incredulously as Cody pulled it out of her backpack.

"Are you honestly surprised?" Tanis laughed.

"Kay, come here," Cody ordered, trying in vain to brush her windblown hair out her face. "Say cheese!"

* * *

"So, did you guys solve the dress dilemma?" Cameron asked as he, Squib, and Nate (who was trying to massage the feeling back into his hand) found the girls walking down the hall.

"Eventually," Cody rolled her eyes.

"Let's go have lunch," Adena suggested, "we've just got to drop this stuff off in our dorm."

"But…it's Cody's," Squib pointed out.

"You think they're going to let me get dressed alone?" Cody asked as the group moved down the hall, rolling her eyes. "Apparently that's a crime, too."

"You know, I can hear you," Adena called back as she opened the door to her room, "and I think- Sunny?" The group froze in the doorway when they saw Sunny with a short, curly-haired, dark-skinned girl and a tall brunette.

"Now, this will be your dorm," she was saying. "You," she pointed to the brunette, "get this bed," she indicated Tanis', "and you," she pointed to the short girl, "get the other. Now, you two can fight sometimes, but you always get over it…"

"Sunny?" Tanis called.

"Oh, hey!" She said as she turned around to see the Top Guns.

"…What are you doing?"

"…Nothing."

"Can we go?" The tall girl asked in a small voice.

"Yeah, whatever," Sunny waved her hand dismissively.

Realization dawned on Cody's face as the two girls rushed past her, "Sunny…are you looking for our replacements?"

"No!"

"You totally are!" Adena grinned, pointing at her.

"Awww, Sunny!" Cameron said jokingly.

"You're gonna miss us!" Squib shouted.

"I am not, okay?" She snapped. "I'm just gonna need some more people to mock next year, that's all!" She said quickly, not meeting their eyes. "Now get out of my way," she pushed through them, "I've got a meeting with some kid who looks like Nate."

"Aww," Tanis said as they watched her walk down the hall, "she _does_ have a soul."

"A kind of creepy one," Nate elaborated, "but a soul nonetheless."

* * *

Prom was slightly boring, as Cody had expected, and totally awesome, just as Adena had promised. Tanis managed to coerce Squib into some dancing, and Adena even got Cameron to dance with her once before he returned to standing by the punch and looking cool. And Nate's shirt was, in fact, white.

"I like this song," Adena smiled as she wrapped her arms around Cody's neck.

"People are staring at us, you freak," Cody laughed as the two slow danced.

"Shut up. You're my best friend. I don't care."

"…I went and said goodbye to them earlier," Cody said softly. "I kinda…I dunno. I wanted them to see me in my prom dress," she smiled sheepishly and looked down.

Adena nodded, "I think I'm gonna slip away after," she admitted. "He would've told you that you looked awesome," she told Cody, giggling softly, "and you're right- she would have been against the whole shopping thing."

Cody laughed, "Yeah…" She paused. "They would have looked really good. All dressed up and dancing together."

"Yeah. They would have."

**Holy long chapter, Batman.**

**So, we found out what Sunny was up to. One more chapter! This is actually part one of the last chapter technically, but it was going to be waaaay too long. The song I used for it is really sad. Oh, and I _did_ try to put dividers in the last chapter, but it wouldn't happen. Then I tried stars, but I guess those didn't show. So sorry if it was super confusing!**

**Review! It's your (second) last chance!**


	26. Where Does The Good Go?

"Joey Mallet."

"Tanis McTaggart."

"Laura Murphy."

"Cody Myers."

Cody smiled on her way up to the podium, accepting her diploma from Bates and blushing when her mom and dad whistled a little too loud.

She'd found herself enjoying the graduation ceremony more than she ever thought she would. After all, it was just some silly formality for their parents. What was the big deal?

So she felt a tiny bit horrified when she found herself getting choked up as Bates hugged his son in front of the whole school, or when Mr. White let out one small, undignified cheer as Cameron was called up, or at the fact that her parents came together (with Candi!), or at the fact that Squib's parents came at all. She'd even felt all warm and fluffy as Squib teased Nate after hearing Bates call his full name.

"_Nathaniel_? Nathaniel Bates? Wait- so this means that _you_ decided to call yourself Nate? You did that to _yourself_? I'm not sure which is worse! Nathaniel or Nate Bates!"

"Just one more!" Her mother insisted, setting up her camera, "Okay, you guys smile!" Cody hugged her dad and her sister close and smiled, waiting for the flash, when Squib stepped up behind her mom.

"Here, let me," he smiled, snatching the camera from the hands of the much shorter woman.

"Oh!" She looked surprised for a moment, until Cody waved her into the picture.

"That's just Squib- don't be alarmed." The former Mrs. Myers laughed and adjusted her daughter's cap one more time before Squib snapped the photo.

"I'm proud of you, Adena," her dad said softly as Mrs. Stiles stood off to the side.

"Thanks, Dad," Adena smiled up at him. "I know it's maybe not what you always wanted, but-,"

"No," he nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder, "believe me. I'm _proud_."

"So, why aren't you cuddling with your parents?" Cody asked Squib as her mother and sister gave Nate the third degree a few steps away.

"They had to run," he explained, shrugging, "he had a business meeting."

"That sucks…"

"Yeah, but check it out," he smiled, fishing for something in his pocket, "wanna see my grad gift?" She nodded, and he pulled an expensive looking, silver watch out of his pocket, "A _real_ watch this time. No more cheap plastic."

Cody mirrored his smirk, "Well, lucky you, Squib."

"Okay, okay!" She heard her mother call, "Cody, some here! You too, Squib! I want _one_ more picture," she explained, grinning, "you and all your friends." Cody waved Adena, Tanis, and Cameron over before going to stand in between Nate and Squib.

"Okay, say chee-,"

"Wait!" Cody called, stepping away from the group and looking around through the crowd. Her face lit up in recognition as she called, "Rick! Come here for a second!" Rick came running and Adena grabbed his arm, pulling him into the picture.

"Okay," Cody said, resuming her place, "now we're ready."

* * *

There was a lot of her mother in herself, Cody mused as she printed her pictures a few days later. She had certainly given her daughters their trademark hair, and while Candice had their father's smile, Cody had definitely gotten her mother's.

"Can I come in?" Cody heard Nate's voice call from the other side of the door.

"Yeah," she called back, smiling, "I'm all done!"

"How'd they turn out?" He asked, stepping in.

"Great! Look at this- you're so cute!" Nate rolled his eyes, but Cody caught his smile as he looked at the picture of him and Bates.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know…"

She giggled, "So, what's up?"

"Well, in honor of our very last night at Cascadia, we're heading down to the beach; you in?"

"Of course!" She nodded, "I've just got to pack a few more things."

* * *

"It's…empty," Adena said as she put her last strappy sandal into her bag.

"Yeah," Tanis nodded, looking around the room, "I never realized how big it was…"

"Marveling at the emptiness?" Squib asked as he and Cameron walked through the door. He nodded knowingly, "We were just doing the same."

"This is too crazy for me," Adena said, ever eloquent.

"Tell me about it," Cameron sighed.

"You know, for all I complained, and all the trouble I got in…" Squib paused.

"You're kind of gonna miss it?" Tanis offered.

"Yeah."

"So, hey," she said as the four walked down the hall together, "have you decided where you're going?"

"Uh, yeah…" he answered slowly, "I think I'll go to Boston."

Tanis stopped, "…You applied to Boston? Why didn't you tell me?"

He shrugged, "I hadn't made up my mind." He smiled, "I guess you're going to have to put up with me for a little longer, McTaggart."

Just as Tanis was about to answer, Rick came bounding down the hall, seemingly out of nowhere, "Did I hear you say Boston, Squibby?"

"Uh…yeah…"

"_I'm_ going to Boston!" He threw his arms around the taller boy. "This is great! This is awesome!" Tanis laughed loudly as Squib stood in shock, mumbling to himself.

"Oh God, oh God…"

"Maybe we can even be _roommates_!"

"Oh God, oh God, oh God…."

* * *

Cody's sister had gotten her four new outfits- all in the latest styles, apparently- to help her make friends at NYU.

"Everyone is _super_ cool there," Candice had told her, "you're playing in the big leagues now. You're going to have to step it up a notch." It was classic Candi, but Cody had heard the affection underneath it.

Her mom, always practical, had gotten her a new laptop.

"To take notes," she supplied helpfully. "I figured your huge computer wouldn't be much help in class."

Her dad had gone all sentimental on her, giving her photo equipment, a journal, and a book of quotes.

She'd never had imagined, three years ago, how close they'd actually become at Cascadia. As she unwrapped the book, she felt like it was the moment in the movie where she was supposed to turn to him and say, all teary-eyed, "I think I'll miss you most of all…"

With the book clutched firmly in her hands, she sat on the beach with Nate, Squib, Tanis, Adena, and Rick.

"…Or how about the time Bates left us on that beach?" Cameron said, laughing. The six had been reminiscing all night around a small fire.

"Or when Rick tried to win Tomiko over?" Adena giggled.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Rick defended himself, "If you remember correctly, I _did_ win Tomiko over!"

"I gotta get back," Nate said, still laughing lightly. "I think my dad wants to have some sort of sappy talk before I leave. I'm a little frightened." He stood up, brushing the sand off his jeans.

"I'll come, too," Cameron said, rising, "I really should get some sleep."

"I guess we'll see you all tomorrow…" Nate said.

"Bright and early!" Adena added.

"Night!" Cameron called back as they walked away. Not long after, Tanis declared she was exhausted and started to head back, Rick deciding to tag along so they could talk about how great Boston would be.

"Well, at least _she's_ excited…" Squib mumbled.

"Oh, hush, you," Cody scolded, "you'd miss him if he left."

"This is really it," Adena said, devoid of the humor her two friends were speaking with. "This is our _last_ night at Cascadia. Ever."

"Remember the first dorm challenge?" Cody asked suddenly, a smile on her face. "When I lost and everyone shunned me because I wasn't a player…"

Adena nodded, laughing faintly, "Good times…"

"Three years…" Squib mused, "that's a long time…"

Adena nodded, getting up, "Yeah, but they were three _good_ years."

"What time is it?" Cody asked as she and Squib sat alone on the beach.

He looked at his watched and groaned, "Late. Too late."

"We should probably get back…" Cody stood.

"Yeah…"

"I'm gonna miss you, Squib," she said after a moment. "I mean, who will I bail out after their crazy schemes go wrong at NYU? Most university students have outgrown that phase…"

"Ah, but never Squib Furlong," he smirked. "You can come visit, City Girl," he said, calling her by a name he hadn't used in years. "I'll be sure to cook up something extra crazy just for you."

Cody smiled, taking one last look at Lake Memphre before heading into the trees with Squib.

_Senior year was finally over._

**And…that's it. How sad. I had the title for the last chapter picked out when I started (I also predicted that it would be 26 chapters, by the way, but that was just fluke) and just changed it today. Although I had always planned to have all of them on the beach, and end with just Cody and Squib.**

**And, if anyone remembers the song I talked about that inspired the fate of a character (or two), it was 'Boston' by Augustana.**

**Whatever shall I do with all my spare time now?**

**A huge thanks to everyone who read and reviewed this, and hopefully you can leave one more.**


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